NIGERIA'S FOURTH REPUBLIC Flashcards
In an effort to consolidate his hold on power after ousting the ING of Chief Shonekan, General Abacha who took over power on November 17 1993 convened a
constitutional conference in June 1994 and the subsequent adoption of a 1995 constitution.
A transition programme put in place by General Abacha was widely adjudged to be lacking in credibility.
Moreso, a lot of articulate politicians had been clamped into detention.
The military - sanctioned five registered political parties started canvassing for the candidature of General Abacha as a civilian president.
He died in 1998 and was succeeded by General Abubakar who released political prisoners and proscribed the five political parties.
General Abubakar demonstrated more openness by establishing an Independent National Electoral Commission and registering three political parties in an impartial process.
Elections were monitored by local and international observers.
Democratic rule was ushered-in on May 29 1999 with the swearing-in of President Olusegun Obasanjo in what is now being popularity referred to as the fourth republic.
Political Issues
Resource Control: Following the discovery of petroleum resources in Nigeria, the agitation for fair and equitable distribution of the nation’s resources have become vociferous. However, following the wide publicity given to the plight of the people of Nigeria’s Niger Delta whose community has been degraded due to oil spilage, the agitation took the dimension of a struggle for the control of their resources.
Electoral Bill: The allegation of undemocratic provisions and the need to exercise dynamism made the review of the electoral law that ushered – in the present republic expedient. However, since the time the bill got to the National Assembly, it has become enmeshed in one controversy or another. This is specifically over section 80(1) of the bill and the holding of all elections in a day.
National Security: One of the primary responsibility of any government is the provision of security for the citizenry. However, the delimitarization of the Nigerian society has given room for an upsurge in the level of robberies, armed conflicts and assassinations.
Political Issues
Ethnic Militarism: The blatant and brazen manner in which the June 13, 1993 election was annulled angered the people of the South. This instigated a new brand of activism in the country. Also, the relative deprivation of the people of the South-South geo-political zone in the country of the basic infrastructural need coupled with the ambitions of the elites to be relevant and to hold the nation to ransom all led to new irredentist movement within the various ethnic group, the fire of which was fuelled by a new freedom associated with democracy. The Yorubas formed O’dua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), the lbos formed Bakassi Boys, ljaws formed Egbesu Boys while Arewa Peoples’ Congress (APC) became the umbrella for the Hausas.
Political Parties: The three major political parties (PDP, ANPP & APGA) which is controlling all the levels of government are products of hurried contraption. Strange bedfellows with different ideas about the goals of politics often find themselves in the same party.
Corruption: One of the bane of the Nigerian society is corruption, a norm which has become legitimised by a dominant section of our society. Politics has become monetised and as such public officers especially at the local and state levels were known to have been alleged of embezzlement or misappropriation of public funds.
The Military: For over four decades, the military institution has always been the achilles heel of the political class. However, the successful transition programme of 1999 afforded the politicians the opportunity to play a superordinate role over the military institution.
National Conference: The fourth republic has been characterised by ethnic warfare, Sharia, resource control and other contentious issues. The allegations of marginalisation against the country’s leadership by virtually all the ethnic groups in the country and other issues has made the call for a conference (where Nigerians are going to re-negotiate the basis for the existence of the country as a corporate entity) unusually loud.
The Constitution: Most, if not all the political crises that rocked Nigeria since 1999 has been credited to the 1999 Nigerian constitution which the political class believe is a military constitution.
economic Issues
Industrial Protests/Living Wage: Many Nigerians became impoverished following the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) introduced into the polity by General Babangida. The middle class was totally eliminated and the naira lost its value drastically. Ever since, the economic crises have refused to abate. Agitations for increment in living wage for workers became much pronounced. Foreign Investment: In the present global system, democracy is strongly tied to privatisation. Nigeria is not an exception to this trend and the government have taken the issue of liberalisation and privatisation very seriously. The president has made over a hundred trips abroad in order to source for Foreign Direct Investments (FDI). Privatisation: One of the basic thrust of the regime's economic agenda is the privatisation programme. Under the programme, most public utilities which are being managed are to be transferred to the private sector in what is being referred to as market - driven economy. It is expected that the programme will bring about the desired dividends of democracy.
dividends of democracy.
Rule of Law: Most Nigerians will argue that their ability to express themselves, move freely and exercise their fundamental human rights is a major dividend of democracy. The rule of law is dully followed in the governments dealings with the people. Though this achievement is being undermined by the police operation -fire-for-fire, the military intervention in crises areas and “punitive” arrests of suspects (example is Mohammed Abacha) such cases are not as widespread as they were during military rule.
Power supply: On assumption of office in 1999, the government invested billions of naira in the power sector of the economy. National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) the corporation responsible for power supply was reorganised and a new leadership was appointed. Thermal and hydro stations across the country were re-habilitated while new power stations were under construction presently. Also, NEPA has been re-organised while the energy sector has been deregulated in such a way that private companies are active players. Though, the fruits of all these efforts are not manifesting presently, it is believed that the positive impact of these effort will be felt soon.
Telecommunications: Telecommunication is one of the fuels of economic development. The Obasanjo government has taken cognizance of this fact and has accordingly liberalised the sector. Today, the monopoly of NITEL, the state - owned corporation has been broken while companies like ECONET and MTN are presently introducing new innovations into the sector. Also, a Second National Operator (SNO) was granted Globacom, another private player in the sector.
Oil Sector: The petroleum sector is the proverbial goose which lays the golden egg but which has been subjected to neglect by successive government. The present government has been meeting a substantial amount of the NNPC obligations in its joint ventures with the transnational corporations. The refineries are presently operating close to their installed capacity while oil scarcity is no more a prevalent phenomenon in the country.
