FRACTURED STRUCTURE, CREDIBLE ELECTIONS AND THE FUTURE OF NIGERIA

The emergence of ethnic nationalities and their violent demands in Nigeria within the past decade shows that the social structure upon which Nigeria is erected is beginning to be split slowly but surely. The ethnic nationalities cut across all the major ethnic groups in Nigeria. They include Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) in Southwest Nigeria; Moment for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) in the South-South; EgbesuBoys in the South East; Alakio in the Middle Belt of Nigeria and Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria. Aside the ethnic nationalities, ethnic sociocultural and sometimes political groups have raised consistent alarm over the years for the convocation of Sovereign National Conference to determine the existence or otherwise of Nigeria and to discuss how Nigerians should relate and live with one another. The subtle demands of the socio-cultural groups, such as Afenifere in Yoruba region, Ohaneze in the Igbo region and the Arewain the Hausa/Fulani region; the violent demands of the ethnic militias indicates the inherent fracture of the structure of the nation Nigeria. The paper argues that there is no amount of credible elections conducted in such a fractured structure that will deliver good governance, effective political accountability and enable Nigerians fulfil their hopes and aspirations as the desires of several ethnic nationalities agitate for a National Conference. Elections have been held in the past and it has failed to meet the yearnings of the majority of the people as reflected in the demands in the groups over the years, because of the structural defects. The paper concludes therefore that it is only a structural change and transformation that addresses the structural defects and meets the desires of the people that can secure the future of Nigeria before any credible election can be of any useful importance as a tool of transiting from one government to another.

Keywords:

Ethnic nationalities socio-cultural groups, change, transformation,

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