About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

14 J. Democracy 131 (2003)
Nigeria: Elections in a Fragile Regime

handle is hein.journals/jnlodmcy14 and id is 504 raw text is: NIGERIA: ELECTIONS IN A FRAGILE REGIME Peter M. Lewis Peter M. Lewis is associate professor in the School of International Service at American University in Washington, D.C. He has written ex- tensively on democracy and economic reform in Africa, including problems of democratization in Nigeria. Nigeria's recently concluded elections may mark a watershed in the troubled political history of Africa's largest country. Since independence in 1960, no civilian government has successfully completed the passage from one administration to another. Twice previously-in 1965 and 1983-elections under the control of the nation's political class degen- erated into violence and fraud, forfeiting democratic legitimacy and giving way to military intervention. Nigerians therefore approached the 2003 elections, the first to be run by civilians since the transition from mili- tary rule four years earlier, with a mixture of hope and trepidation. The polling itself was embroiled in disarray, misconduct, and confrontation, rousing worrisome echoes of earlier failures. And yet the country ap- pears to have weathered its turbulent season, yielding a second term for President Olusegun Obasanjo, and perhaps a new lease on life for Nige- rian democracy. This crisis-ridden regime still faces major hurdles to consolidation amid a setting made volatile by elite contention, social polarization, institutional dysfunction, and economic malaise. The survival of electoral rule is crucial to Nigeria's democratic pros- pects: Without a stable constitutional regime in place, democratic reform will go nowhere. Beyond the mere continuation of electoral cycles and civilian government, however, are vital questions about the regime's character and performance. The much anticipated democracy dividend, whether construed as improvements in governance, stability, or eco- nomic welfare, has not materialized. The profound deficits of governance that trouble Nigeria's Fourth Republic stem from feeble, unsteady in- stitutions; squabbling among political leaders and factions; and an elite that most Nigerians see as distant, selfish, and lacking in integrity.' The Journal of Democracy Volume 14, Number 3 July 2003

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most