Corruption, Governance and Political Instability in Nigeria

Abstract

The Nigerian State is a victim of high-level corruption, bad governance, political instability and a cyclical
legitimacy crisis. Consequently, national development is retarded, and the political environment
uncertain. The country’s authoritarian leadership faced a legitimacy crisis, political intrigues, in an
ethnically - differentiated polity, where ethnic competition for resources drove much of the pervasive
corruption and profligacy. While the political gladiators constantly manipulated the people and the
political processes to advance their own selfish agenda, the society remained pauperized, and the people
wallowed in abject poverty. This invariably led to weak legitimacy, as the citizens lacked faith in their
political leaders and by extension, the political system. Participation in government was low because
citizens perceived it as irrelevant to their lives. In the absence of support from civil society, the effective
power of government was eroded. Patron - client relationships took a prime role over the formal aspects
of politics, such as the rule of law, well-functioning political parties, and a credible electoral system. In
order to break this cycle and ensure good governance, accountability and transparency must be
guaranteed.