DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA: A FAR JOURNEY INTO IDEOLOGICAL PARADISE

Résumé

This paper interrogates the persistent challenges confronting Nigeria’s democratic experience, as reflected in widespread concerns about political inefficiency and moral shortcomings in its public sphere. While noting the recurring critique of Nigeria’s democratic practice in scholarly and media discourse, the study argues that such persistence signals unresolved structural and ideological problems, as well as a possible lack of political will to implement necessary reforms. Consequently, it raises critical questions about the suitability of democracy within the Nigerian context and the reasons for the enduring difficulty in overcoming its negative manifestations despite years of practice. Hence, by examining the nature and comparative value of democracy among global systems, as well as Nigeria’s historical engagement with it, the paper identifies a key deficiency, i.e. “the lack of fidelity to party convictions” as a central factor undermining democratic consolidation. In conclusion, the paper holds that this ideological inconsistency significantly impedes Nigeria’s progress toward a stable and functional democratic order.