THE EROSION OF GENUINE DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA

 INTRODUCTION

Democracy is meant to ensure that government reflects the will of the people, protects citizens’ rights, and promotes accountability, with the Constitution serving as the guardian of a democratic state. In Nigeria, however, the principles of genuine democracy are often undermined by factors such as electoral fraud, vote-buying, corruption, weak institutions, political violence, and limited civic participation.

These challenges contribute to the erosion of democracy in the country and suggest that Nigeria does not fully uphold the Constitution as the foremost guardian of democratic governance, as cases of discrimination still occur. As a result, the democratic system has deviated from its true purpose and core tenets, weakening public trust and hindering national development.

 This discussion examines the causes, effects, and broader implications of the erosion of genuine democracy in Nigeria, highlighting the urgent need for reforms that will strengthen democratic institutions and practices.

                    MAIN FINDINGS

Democracy has been defined and explained by various scholars, including Abraham Lincoln, who described it as “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” This definition highlights the core principles of democracy, such as free and fair elections, a multi-party system, control over the abuse of power, popular sovereignty, constitutional government, freedom of expression, independence of the judiciary, separation of powers, human rights, political tolerance, the rule of law, transparency, accountability, equality, and citizen participation.

These foundational principles are essential to ensure that governance truly reflects the will of the people. However, the structure and practice of democracy in Nigeria largely deviate from these core principles. From historical periods to the present day, Nigeria and many developing democracies have undermined key democratic values such as free and fair elections, equality, and citizen participation.

 In several African countries, there is often no clear separation of powers among the arms of government, accompanied by the weakening of the judiciary due to politicization, as well as issues in recruitment, administration, and financial allocation, with the judiciary largely controlled by politicians.

For instance, the principle of free and fair elections has not been effectively upheld in Nigeria. During the regime of Ibrahim Babangida, Humphrey Nwosu, who served as the chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), conducted the 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history. The election was won by Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (M.K.O. Abiola). Unfortunately, the Babangida regime annulled the election before the final results were officially declared.

This action led to a serious political crisis and widespread protests across the country. Nwosu was later removed from his position and faced criticism and pressure, particularly for not fully announcing the final results before the annulment. Although Babangida expressed regret over the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election in his book, A Journey in Service (Bookcraft Africa, 2025), this event clearly demonstrates how Nigeria has undermined the principle of free and fair elections.

Furthermore, the principle of separation of powers in Nigeria is weakened by the dominance of the federal government, especially through the concentration of numerous items on the exclusive legislative list and the limited powers shared with states on the concurrent list. This imbalance undermines true federalism and the effective distribution of power.

Instead of promoting equality, Nigeria continues to experience significant inequality between the rich and the poor. This situation encourages corruption and favoritism, where qualified individuals are often denied opportunities despite their skills, merit, and talents. Such inequality weakens Nigeria as a democratic state.

    In contemporary Nigeria, ‘Vote buying has become a common practice'. This involves giving money, food items such as rice, or other gifts to voters in exchange for their votes. This practice undermines the principle of free and fair elections, as elections are neither fully free (due to pressure) nor fair (due to unequal competition). Vote buying gives an advantage to wealthy politicians and makes citizen participation transactional rather than based on informed and independent decision-making. It also weakens the rule of law when such acts go unpunished.

From this perspective, a notable statement was made by Olusegun Mimiko during the 2012 Ondo State governorship election. He used the expression, “E gba owo, e ṣe bẹ́ ẹ̀” (meaning “collect the money, but vote according to your conscience”). This statement implies that citizens should not allow monetary inducements to determine their votes, but should exercise their democratic right independently. It emphasizes freedom of choice and political participation, which are key principles of democracy.

These issues raise several important questions: What form of democracy should Nigeria adopt? Is Nigeria truly a democratic country? Among the various forms of democracy such as liberal, social, and participatory democracy, which one is actually identified as Nigeria practicing today? Which form is most suitable? For instance, the United States of America largely practices liberal democracy, where public opinion plays a significant role in decision-making and elections. Mechanisms such as opinion polls and electoral participation reflect the will of the people.

The Libyan Civil War illustrates the power of citizen participation as a core principle of democracy. During this period, Muammar Gaddafi, who had ruled Libya for many years, was challenged by widespread protests. The situation escalated into a civil war, and Gaddafi was eventually captured and killed by rebel forces in October 2011. This event demonstrates the strength of citizen action and the demand for political change, although it also reflects the instability that can arise during the struggle for democratic governance.

      HOW CAN WE PREVENT THE EROSION OF DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA?

Firstly, in a democratic state, the Constitution should be upheld above political leaders and must remain supreme. The fundamental human rights, as stated in the Constitution, should not exist only in theory but must also be practiced. These include the equality of rights, obligations, and opportunities before the law (Section 17(2)(a)) and Section 42, which prohibits discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, gender, and other factors. Free and fair elections must also be upheld in practice, not just on paper.

Secondly, there should be clearly defined roles and responsibilities, as well as independence in the administration of each department, to ensure effective checks and balances among the arms of government. This will help strengthen the rule of law and constitutionalism.

Thirdly, there should be encouragement of the active involvement of Nigerian citizens, not limited to voting alone. This would help reduce vote-buying and political apathy among the people, thereby promoting accountability.

Lastly, more powers and resources should be devolved to the states so that they can control key sectors such as security and natural resources. This would help reduce political tension and better reflect Nigeria’s ethnic and regional diversity.

CONCLUSION

        Democracy is meant to reflect the will of the people, protect rights, and ensure accountability, but in Nigeria these ideals are weakened by electoral fraud, corruption, weak institutions, and low civic participation. This has led to public distrust and political apathy, showing a gap between constitutional principles and reality. To restore genuine democracy, reforms are needed to strengthen institutions, ensure free and fair elections, promote citizen participation, protect human rights, uphold judicial independence, and advance true federalism.

REFERENCES

Babangida, I.B (2025). A Journey in Service Bookcraft Africa

Britannica Editors Mar. 26, 2026. History Muammar al-Qaddafi Libyan Statesman 

Lincoln, A. (1863, November 19). Gettysburg Address. Dedication of the Soldier’s National Cemetery, Gettysburg, PA, Unit

Article earlier published on Medium 

https://medium.com/@ojopeace535/title-of-the-paper-the-erosion-of-genuine-democracy-in-nigeria-81ff0825f511