Political Stability & National Security in Nigeria: Challenges & Prospects
Method of data analysis
Limitations encountered
Strategies for political stability to enhance national security
Political stability and national security in Nigeria: Challenges and prospects
The research will focus on the effects of political stability and national security in Nigeria. The time span of the study is between 1999 and 2010. This period was chosen to enable the researcher examine the effects of political stability on national security in Nigeria's Fourth Republic which has witnessed peaceful civilian to civilian transition.
This study is divided into five chapters in which the first chapter is the introduction part followed by the second chapter for literature review and research methodology. The third chapter spells out the findings from the research, while the fourth chapter looks at the strategy for political stability to enhance national security; the last chapter concludes the research with some few recommendations being put across.
Introduction
Background
Political stability is an aspiration of modern states which is essential for the survival of the states and their pursuit of development. This is because political stability has to do with the overall stability of the state, irrespective of the life span of a government. Consequently, countries all over the world clamor for stable political arrangements, as a means of achieving national security. An important component of stability is legitimacy, for it is the level of feeling of empathy to the state by the people that determines whether compliance is willingly given or forcefully extracted. Political stability supports the sustenance of strong socio-political and economic institutions. These institutions which include independent arms of government, free media, political parties, electoral management bodies, civil society organizations (CSOs) among others, strengthen sovereignty, encourage the pursuit of people-oriented policies and enhance national security (Oyovbaire 35-43)[footnoteRef:2] [2: Oyovbaire 35-43]
Some studies revealed that countries with transparent democratic structures are more stable politically with less threat on their national security. This argument is based on the assumption that democracy helps to strengthen political institutions that initiate peaceful transition from one government to another. For instance, the United States of America (USA) has enjoyed over 200 years of political stability and hence, when the country was faced with the controversy of the presidential elections in November 2000, its democratic institution proved competent to contain the challenges (Gyimah-Boadi 208-210)[footnoteRef:3]. [3: Gyimah-Boadi 208-210]
Similarly, Britain has enjoyed a high degree of political stability for almost 300 years. This has been manifested through the peaceful transfers of power from one elected government to another, effective delivery of public services and good governance. This stable political arrangement has promoted patriotism among citizens and eliminated serious threats of disintegration which would have compromised her national security. It is however important to note that, political stability alone may not necessarily guarantee national security as being witnessed in Greece, where economic crisis amidst stable political system is triggering crises of different dimensions creating some national security concerns.9
In Africa, Botswana is considered the most politically stable country because of good governance and effective delivery of public services which has impacted positively on her national security. This rating was further confirmed by the World Bank Institute's report on governance released in July 2007 which observed the absence of political violence and threats of disintegration in the country.
Cameroon is another African country that has enjoyed relative political stability which has enhanced her national security for the past 2 decades. However, her stability could be based on the suppression of the opposition by President Paul Biya's government that has stayed in power for over 20 years. Consequently, there could be some social tensions threatening political stability on the exit of Paul Biya's government that would compromise national security in the country. The experience of Cote'd Ivoire remains relevant to this study. Cote'd Ivoire was considered a model of political stability in Africa for over 3 decades under the leadership of late President Houphouet-Boigny. However, this stability was built on coercion and suppression of the opposition groups. Thus, upon Houphouet-Boigny's death in 1993 the country started having socio-political crisis and
Foreign Policy of China (Beijing consensus) Structure of Chinese Foreign Policy The "Chinese Model" of Investment The "Beijing Consensus" as a Competing Framework Operational Views The U.S.-China (Beijing consensus) Trade Agreement and Beijing Consensus Trading with the Enemy Act Export Control Act. Mutual Defense Assistance Control Act Category B Category C The 1974 Trade Act. The Operational Consequences of Chinese Foreign Policy The World Views and China (Beijing consensus) Expatriates The Managerial Practices Self Sufficiency of China (Beijing consensus) China and western world: A comparison The China (Beijing
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