GODFATHERISM AND ELECTORAL POLITICS IN NIGERIA
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GODFATHERISM AND ELECTORAL POLITICS IN NIGERIA
CHAPITRE ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of The Study
Prior to 1999, the Nigerian political process was dominated by military rule; however, with the introduction of democratic rule following several years of political subjugation or hostage-taking in the hands of the military, the political process appears to be under threat with the emergence of political mentors or godfathers of public office holders [godsons].
These godfathers are wealthy and wield enormous political power inside their respective states and the country as a whole. They choose who becomes governor, legislator, local government chairman, and so on in their districts.
They make certain that they get political office through any means, lawful or illicit, usually by adopting unusual techniques to attain their goal of political prominence.
They believe that every man has a price and would spend money to gain the support of others in the pursuit of their political interests; elections are rigged with falsification of electoral results to achieve their goal, and members of the opposition are suppressed or assassinated if they become too difficult to handle.
The concept of godfatherism, according to Adebanjo (2004), is firmly establishing itself as a driving principle in contemporary Nigeria politics. Godfathers are commonly defined as those who have the personal power to choose who is nominated to run in elections and who wins them. In the past, Nigerian society had fewer criminals that the judicial systems attempted to deal with;
however, in recent times, our judicial systems have been unable to deal with such because Nigerian society is rapidly producing criminals in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries through democratisation and militarization practises; when one fails to deliver, the other takes over.
Ajayi (2005) argued that in a democracy, one way that government breeds criminals is through godfatherims, which is an old-fashioned trade that circulates around the country under various names or headings for generations.
Godfathers in Nigeria is a topic that has received little attention until the recent coup that exposed Chief Chris Uba, Chief Dr. Chris Ngige’s estranged political Godfather,
as one of the political criminals behind the elections or selection of most of our state governors and other law makers (Coker, 2004). It appears that the bulk of our state governors are financed by such a person,
and those financed by their godfathers who get into government now have enormous authority in their respective states. They assigned civil service and/or political positions to those who are not citizens but have a private interest (Dangote, 2004).
Godfatherism, on the other hand, has become a frightening phenomena in Nigerian politics. Godfatherism in Nigeria, particularly in its current shape and character, is distributive, as correctly highlighted by Omotola (2007).
Though it is an ancient and deeply ingrained component of Nigerian society’s cultural norms, where it is merely socioeconomic in origin and mutually beneficial to both sides, its politicisation appears to have contributed to the criminalization of
politics. The Hausa, for example, have a well-established system in which the godfather is known as “Maigida” (landlord or head of home). Godfathers rule over all aspects of society, including academia, the judicial system, and the religious environment.
As a result, the godfathers’ influence on Nigeria’s general elections was unparalleled. Godfathers have become an institutionalised feature in Nigerian politics over the years, with contemporary manifestations indicating that it has reached epidemic proportions, becoming one of the greatest threats to democratic consolidation in Nigeria (Omotola, 2007).
The current acts of certain Nigerian godfathers could be compared to mafia characteristics; nonetheless, some still consider godfathers as a power balancer in a democracy. According to Akinola (2009), there is a need for a good-hearted guy (people’s hero) to be at the single realm of absolute authority; a godfather distributes power as he sees fit and anoints who rules.
However, given Nigeria’s political milieu, godfatherism has taken on an unusual dimension. It has become a threat, undermining the foundations of popular rule and denying Nigerians the much-deserved rewards of democracy.
As a result, the researcher has been compelled to investigate the topic of godfatherism and electoral politics in Nigeria.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Over the years, money and influence have been seen as the sole determinants of an election in Nigeria political content, with most politicians joining confraternities or entering into flimsy and illegal agreements with influential rich mobile Nigeria before contesting elections.
Nigerians are so dissatisfied with the terrible performance of a huge number of governors, lawmakers, and local government council chairmen, who cannot be called to account as long as they remain in the good graces of their political godfathers.
This has resulted in poor governance, with our societies failing to shift sociopolitically and economically, despite the large sums frequently provided to various levels of government, which have not been able to justify such government spending.
Political sons will remain in government as long as they pay respect to or remain loyal to their mentor and godfather, regardless of their performance or the interests of the people. Thus, the numerous clashes between godfathers and their political sons that have occurred in various federation states become interesting.
Cries of confidence between some state governors and their godfathers are spreading like a plague, and the combatants are battling for control of their states in a manner that would qualify for a national humiliation,
while the people and government suffer the consequences. However, experience has shown that applying this notion has mostly ended in democratic failures and disasters.
From the refusal to elect respectable candidates to the imposition of mediocrity in political and appointive posts, the entire experience has been one of pains, misery, penury, squalor, and damnation as a result of bad performance and poor service delivery among godsons.
1.3 Goal of The study
The study’s goal is to look into the topic of godfatherism and electoral politics in Nigeria. However, in order to attain this broad goal, the researcher examines the following specific goals:
(i) To ascertain the role of godfatherism as a guiding concept in contemporary Nigerian politics.
(ii) To comprehend the significance of money and influence as determinants of political content in Nigeria.
(iii) To assess the influence of godfathers on Nigeria’s general elections.
(iii) To comprehend the relationship and conflicts between political godfathers and government.
1.4 Research Questions
To guide the investigation, the following research questions were posed.
(i) To what extent does godfatherism serve as a guiding factor in current Nigerian politics?
(ii) To what extent does money and influence influence the political substance of elections in Nigeria?
(iii) To what extent do godfathers influence Nigeria’s general elections?
(iv) What is the relationship between political godfathers and government, and what are the contradictions?
1.5 Research Hypothesis
(i) There is no major relationship between godfatherism and current Nigerian politics.
(ii) In Nigeria, there is no statistically significant association between money and political content.
(iii) There is no major link between godfathers and Nigeria’s general elections.
(iii) There is no meaningful association between political godfathers and governance.
1.6 Significance of the Research
A study of this kind is significant in a variety of ways.
Lawmakers: The findings of this study will provide lawmakers with the opportunity to amend election rules so that offenders will not be spared regardless of their standing in society, and therefore the tendency of godfathers and godsons politics in Nigeria would be reduced.
Policymakers include: The study’s findings would assist policymakers in charting an effective policy direction that will impact and instill positive values in Nigerian political politics.
The judiciary: The study will assist the judiciary in putting in place the essential machinery to ensure the timely delivery of justice in the elections petition tribunal with a good sense of duty and without fear of favour.
Students: The study will be very useful as a literature base for students who plan to conduct research on a similar topic.
Finally, the outcomes of this study will provide a firm framework for future research.
1.7 Limitations of the Research
This research will primarily examine the role of godfatherism in Nigerian political politics. The study will investigate the concept of godfatherism, which denotes the invasion of political candidates by discarnate powerful sponsors, with the goal of complete possession for selfish gratification.
The godfather is the political slave merchant, while the godson is the political slave or slave boy or political article for sale. This research will investigate political godfatherism and its impact on the Nigerian political process.
It will be considered how political office holders are elected into public offices, as well as why they do not perform, especially while they have the support of their political mentors.
1.8 Definition of Terms
A godfather is a someone who vows to help and educate a child. In another sense, a godfather is the leader of a criminal organisation or mafia group.
Political: Concerned with a country’s government or public affairs, as well as its relations with other countries.
A process is a series of natural developments or events that result in progressive change, or a series of activities taken by someone to attain a certain goal. – Godson A godparent offers to help and teach Christian principles to a boy.
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