Democracy and National Development in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

Democracy plays a very important and crucial role in promoting good governance and national development. The common feature is its emphasis on improving the socio-economic welfare of the people and this is synonymous with the idea of national development. Without doubt, most countries and continents of the world have had traumatic, exasperating and ugly experiences in organizing themselves democratically. Almost every nation, rightly or wrongly, freely or compulsively, wants to be seen as democratic even though the political system bears no semblance of a democracy. Against all odds, all over today’s world, there are serious clamors and yearnings for democratization and these seem to make democracy very fashionable. In light of the above therefore, this paper critically examines the challenges and prospects of democracy and national development in Nigeria. It argues that the ubiquity of electoral malpractices in Nigeria and corruption are the two major challenges to the materialization of democracy as an instrument of national development in Nigeria. In addition, the paper states that the independence of INEC, practical enforcement of anti-corruption laws and enthronement of internal democracy in political parties will enhance the prospects of democracy and national development in Nigeria.

Keywords: Challenges, Democracy, National Development, Nigeria, Prospects.