Political Science

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Author: search.filters.author.Aiyede, E. R.End date: 2009

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    Federalism, decentralisation and the liberalisation of business environment in Nigeria
    (Development policy centre, 2001) Aiyede, E. R.
    "This study examines how federal restructuring and decentralisation can be tailored towards the creation of an enabling environment for business in Nigeria. It does this by making a comparative assessment of the business environment in Nigetia; exploring the character of federalism and decentralisation programmes in Nigeria. It also examines the implications of these for governance and the business environment in Nigeria while suggesting decentralisation reforms required to enhance government efficiency and effectiveness as well as improving the business environment. The study noted that decentralization programmes in Nigeria began from the colonial era but have largely taken the form of spatial deconcentration. As a result, they have had the effect of increasing central control and reducing opportunities for citizen participation, and stultified creativity. The restraint in devolving power is attributable to the effort at regime sustenance in the face of limited state legitimacy, the problem of fragile national unity and the prevalence of military dictatorship with its centralizing tendencies. Territorial fragmentation and internal boundary adjustments have resulted in a proliferation of states and local governments; but such levels of government have been without local power that can attract and stimulate participation. Spatial deconcentration has resulted in a bloated states sector, with minimal private sector development, and a suppression of innovative and entrepreneurial energy. Dependence of sub-national units on oil revenue from the centre has been one of the major reasons fur the failure to diversify the economic base of the country. The competition that had characterised inter-state relations under the three and four-region Systems in which derivation was a significant factor of horizontal revenue sharing gave way to political struggles for federation funds. Thus, local spending became completely separated from local resources in the name of even development across the country. The centralisation of resources control and the adoption of a general revenue allocation formula provided no incentive for competitiveness among the various sub-national governments. Decentralisation reforms have become imperative but need to be done democratically. There should be wide spread consultation and negotiation to reach consensus on an ideological base for the envisaged decentralization programme. There should also be very clear institutional arrangement for managing the process, realistic and clear-cut distribution of powers and functions among the various governments based on the principle of subsidiarity with clearly spelt out institutions of horizontal and vertical accountability. The programme should be informed by a more practicalconcern about economic competitiveness, such that the country will be restructured into competing governmental units, providing room for public/private partnership in productive activities at the lower levels, such that would enable the exploration and development of economic potentials of the various states. The current general revenue sharing formula should be reconsidered with a view to promoting competition hand in hand with the drive for equity and accountability. Caution should be taken during the process to avoid fanning the embers of centrifugal forces. Nigeria should borrow ideas from successful decentralisation efforts in other lands. "
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    Public service ethics in Nigeria’s local government system
    (Book point ltd., 2003) Aiyede, E. R.
    This paper attempts to explain the ethical crisis in local government in Nigeria by' examining the structural and nonnative ethical content of local government reforms. It argued that, although efforts were made to integrate public service ethics into the reforms, ethics programmes were unsystematic and were for a long time very limited. Moreover, key actors did not demonstrate serious commitment to them. The reason for the lack of commitment is attributed to the instrumental use of corruption for regime sustenance that shot through Nigeria's politics of distributive federalism, which came to its own in the last two decades. This has destroyed the idea of public service and generated strong forces within local government angling for a share of the "national cake." Popular accountability has been undermined by the disjunction of the location of expenditure from the sources of local government revenue.
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    Constitutional and institutional basis of inter governmental relations (IGR) in Nigeria
    (Programme on ethnic and federal studies, 2004) Egwaikhide, F. 0.; Aiyede, E. R.; Benjamin, S. A; Dlakwa, H. D; Ikelegbe, A.
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    Readings in development policy and capacity building in Nigeria
    (Development policy centre, 2003) Aiyede, E. R.; Alayande, B.; Mabawonku, A.
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    The political economy of fiscal federalism and the dilemma of constructing a developmental state in Nigeria
    (International political science review, 2009) Aiyede, E. R.
    The relationship between federalism and development needs to be investigated in the context of values of governance and state–society relations, especially citizenship. This helps to uplift the discourse on the African state by situating it within the historiography and political economy of federalism. This article explores the institutional and political foundations of the fundamentally distributive orientation of Nigeria’s fiscal federal system: the values that underlie governance and the character of state–society relations expressed in the demarcation of fiscal federalism from citizenship privileges and duties. It argues that a fragmented citizenship sustains predatory rule, which undermines the developmental content of federalism.
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    Africa and the US national security policy in a changing global order
    (Ibadan journal of the social sciences, 2009) Aiyede, E. R.
    Developments in US policy towards Africa since 9/11, as shown by the establishment of the Africa Command, has been described as marked departures from what existed in the immediate post-Cold War era when Africa was 'neglected'. Africa has been de-marginalized in the US strategic and national security policy because it has become critical to the strategic interest of the US. This paper provides an alternative interpretation of the US national security policy as translated into activities in Africa in the post 9111period. It argues that Africa has never been marginalized nor neglected by the US in its foreign or security policy after the Cold War, although there has been a change in strategy. This becomes obvious when security is not separated from the economy in the analysis of the US national security policy agency towards Africa
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    The military and the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria
    (Nigerian army quarterly journal, 2008) Aiyede, E. R.
    This paper explores the role of the military In democratic development worldwide. It argues that although the military is implicated in the demise of democracy in several countries, the establishment and sustenance of major democracies owe to the achievement of a strong military force. New democracies like Nigeria faced a real challenge concerning the role of the military in governance and were at critical moments unsure of what to do. The pressures for democracy while calling for the removal of the military from governance raises the issue of how to ensure capable and stable military institutions and ensure that they remain confined to their constitutional and public policy roles. The military is a democratic necessity with a paradoxical challenge to democratic order. Hence, the paper examines how the challenge of the military to democracy is characterised and the measures adopted to deal with it worldwide. It then examines the constitutional roles and policy tasks of the Nigerian military, teases out the peculiar challenges of the military for Nigeria and provides insight for repositioning the military to proficiently execute its functions in order to sustain democracy in the country.
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    Book review
    (Development in practice, 2007) Aiyede, E. R.
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    Electoral laws and the 2007 general elections in Nigeria
    (Journal of African elections, 2007) Aiyede, E. R.
    Credible elections are a salient indicator of democratic consolidation and the principal institutionalised means of forming and changing democratic governments. A central determinant of the success of any election is the institutions which structure the behaviour of participants and the choices available to them, hence their belief in pay-offs to individuals and groups. The guiding principles and regulations of the 2007 general elections in Nigeria are to be found in the 1999 Constitution and in the Electoral Act 2006. These documents not only set out the rules, the enactment of the Electoral Act usually signals the beginning of the electoral contest. The Constitution and the Act together make elaborate provision for voter registration, party and candidate registration, campaign financing and regulation, election observation, ballot design, polling stations, voting, counting, and tabulation, election management bodies, and dispute settlement authorities. This paper reviews critically the constitutional provisions on elections and the Electoral Act 2006 in the context of the challenges of achieving credible elections in Nigeria.