THE IMPACT OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE ON THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA

Introduction

1.1 Background Of The Study

The hundred and twenty-five years between the French revolution in 1789 and the outbreak of the World War in 1914 are remarkable in the history of government for the development of rise of democracy (Appadonai, 1978:233). The emergence of democracy as a dominant political and social ideology has among other been seen as pivotal instrument of advancing and maintaining progress in some parts of our society.

Democracy is a continuous process and struggle towards actualization of certain values, freedom, equality and justice. No matter how democracy is understood, interpreted and practiced it has a philosophical justification premised on certain cherished human values and ideas.

These values are freedom, equality and justice (Nnoli O. 1986:160).

Political violence in Nigeria is rooted in colonial politics when nationalists began to live men in the absence of state security personnel, in those days, thugs saw themselves more or less as warrior of old whose duty was to protect their leader by wording off any attack on them.

Like the old warrior, many thugs believe in the efficacy and of traditional paraphernalia. Others carry guns, machetes and other weapons.

Today, the distinctive hallmark of political violence in Nigeria is a variety of crimes achieved not only through violence, but also verbal abuse and other derogatory gestures.

Instances of political thuggery include killing of political opponents, party supporters, destruction of both private and public properties spewing ‘’violent’’ languages and deliberate distortion of information to mislead the public.

Contemporary political thugs perform any or all four main functions;

1. To disrupt the campaign rallies of their opponent and their supporters.
2. To discourage prospective voters who might vote against their candidate from participating in the electoral process and
3. To actually maim or even assassinate political opponents and their leading supporters etc.

While politicians, ever selfish about victory, many view violence as a useful weapon of attaining or retaining power. Its negative effects are devastating.

First, it causes damage to lives and properties. Secondly, it is the integrity of the politicians, who use thuggery as a campaign weapon.

Thirdly, thuggery action tends to grab the headlines and displace the candidates ideas and programmes, thereby making it difficult to distinguish between ‘’good’’ and ‘’bad’’ candidates.

Fourthly, thuggery portends a bad omen for the election days instead of preparing citizens to accept election result peacefully, thuggery prepares them for violence, particularly if they feel that their vote were stolen. They may hire thugs as part of their revenge factious as it happen in 1964/1965, 1983, 2003, 2001 and most recently in April 2011 election respectively.

Political violence or thuggery inculcates and nurtures the culture of violence in our youths, a trait that has become rampant in our universities and polytechnics and even during the recently conducted elections.

We have seen youths unleash violence on political candidates, police men, (INEC) officers, judges, journalist and innocent citizens, sometime on behalf of their political candidate, sometimes as a means of venting against the power structure and sometimes as a smokescreen for extortion and loathing.

Secondly, thuggery invokes other acts of violence elsewhere in the polity particularly the actions of cultist in higher institutions of fanatical religious rioters, of militants in the Niger Delta, now Boko-Haram in the North and armed robbers throughout the country.

This networks of violence has branded Nigeria as a modern day lawless and unsafe country where violence rules.

1.2 Statement Of The Research Problem

Political violence which has been a major problem since the inception of the 1st republic has no doubt continued till date (fourth republic).

Many lives have been lost through election in this country, there have always being the problems of tribalism, regionalism, fear of domination, sectionalism, godfatherism and ethnicity.

Given the above view, Lokoja local government, being the case study is not exceptional to this problem:

1. The people in Lokoja local government now find it difficult to come out and cast their vote on the election day.
2. The few people that are willing to come out end up casting their vote to the wrong candidate, because of the type of government in power.
3. Snatching of ballot boxes from the polling unit is also responsible for the violence in some cases
4. It tarnishes the image of government.

Taking the above assertion into consideration, there is need for the government in Nigeria to set out rules different from the past to harness the masses and inculcate in them the need to avoid violent acts in the country.

This study therefore seeks to find out the impact of political violence on democratic governance in Nigeria, lokoja local government being used as a case study.

1.3 Objectives Of The Study

The purpose of this study is to expose to the public most especially the youths and politicians how political violence has portrayed us in the eyes of international community.

The specific objectives include the following

1. To examine and analyze how successful the elections could be conducted without minimal incidence of violence
2. To enable the nation to eliminate or minimize the killing of political opponents before and during election
3. To understand our political culture, value of the country and to ensure a full separation of power of the three arms of government in the formation of any electoral law.
4. To make law that would make elective position unattractive for those whose intention is to play politics of bitterness.

1.4 Significance Of The Study

The study will enable every Nigerian citizen to know why Nigeria history is filled with political violence.

This study is also a great significant to other researchers. It will significantly provide an opportunity for in-depth knowledge of the concept and the root of political violence in Nigeria.

This study is also of great significance to the people of Lokoja local government. It makes them to know that the end result of every violence is destruction.

To the country at large, it will serve as a road map from the dangerous journey Nigerians have embarked upon for years.

1.5 Scope Of The Study

The scope of this research is political violence in democratic governance right from the colonial period to date. Special emphasis would be made on the recurrent political violence in the life of our government with particular reference to thuggery and violent activities characterized electioneering campaign of 2003, 2007 general elections.

The main theme of this research is to critically analyze the political violence in Nigeria. How it has portrayed us in the eyes of the world.

The resultant effects of this violence are large scale political corruption, mass rigging, ballot box snatching, intimidation and a list of other evils that space would not allow me to mention here. Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi State is to be used as case study.

1.6 Limitations Of The Study

The researcher encountered a lot of difficulties. Indeed, obtaining information of this project has not easy for the following reasons:

Lack of fund:

Carrying out a research work of this nature and magnitude, requires substantial amount of money, even in the present face of economic hardship being experienced in the country.

Time factor:

The greatest limitation of this study or research was the inadequate time for the researcher to cope with the trend of study. The write-up has to be carried with either family commitments or demand of the work place, and studies of wide course like public administration.

Getting cooperation from the staff of the (INEC) and community leaders:

The researcher encountered difficulties in obtaining some vital information from those authorities that are concerned at the local government, for fear of victimization and divulging official secret.

Limitation in releasing the project materials

There is also limitation in releasing the project materials from the authorities concerned that is the previous writers on similar topics.

1.7 Research Questions

The questions asked here will serve as the basis on which this research will be analyzed.

They will also help to form the boundaries on which the hypothesis to be tested in this study will be used.

1. Does political violence encourage mass rigging?
2. Is various controversies in elections in Nigeria as a result of political violence
3. Is political violence a necessary tool in democratic governance?
4. Does the political violence do any damage to our image abroad?

1.8 Definition Of Relevant Terms

This tends to aid understanding of a researchers work. In this study, the following concepts and their meaning are state below:

Violence:

Violent behavior that is intended to cause injury or kill somebody and destroyed properties.

Rigging:

To arrange or influence something (most especially in elections) in a dishonest way in order to get the result that you want.

Thuggery:

A device used by many politicians to out smart their opponents. It is violent, criminal behabviour.

Democracy:

A government of the people by the people and for the people. It is a system of government in which all the people of a country can vote to elect their representatives.

Election:

The process of choosing a person or group of people for a position especially in political position by voting.

Prebendalism:

This is a concept in which politicians (most especially Nigerian political class) clamour for power purposely for their own stomach.

Crisis:

This refers to a time of difficulty when important decisions must be made on a nation’s life or a period of controversy.