Effects of Informal Institutions on the Probability of Democratization in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume II, Issue V, May 2018 | ISSN 2454-6186

Effects of Informal Institutions on the Probability of Democratization in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic

Yahaya Yakubu

Department of Political Science & International Relations, Nile University of Nigeria

Abstract:-Contrary to expectations, regularization of competitive politics in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic did not bring about the demise of influence of non-political determinants of political outcomes. Rather the underlying informal institutions of political clientelism and neopatrimonialism have co-existed alongside formal institutions of liberal democracy and affected probability of. Upon analyzing primary data sourced from Afrobarometer AB and reviewing relevant literature the study contends, formal and informal institutions interpenetrate each other, supplement or may even replace each other. Also both institutions could impede or foster prospects of democratization. However, the mechanisms through which they do are likely to differ contextually. Subsequently, the theoretical and parochial interrogation of institutions depicts the far reaching effects of the informal institution of political clientelism as a definite attribute of practical politics in the Fourth Republic. Hence the study assents with pluralist’s, arguing an objective appraisal of the prospects of contextualizing the practice of democracy in line with prevailing norms, values and beliefs.

Keywords: Informal Institutions, Afro-Barometer, Formal Institutions, Democratization and Governance.

I. INTRODUCTION

Contrary to the expectations of modern democratic development, the establishment of liberal institutions of democracy and regularization of competitive elections in Nigeria’s Fourth republic has not lead to the demise of informal elements and activities in governance. Instead the underlying informal institutions of neopatrimonialism and political clientelism have co-existed alongside these institutions and affected the prospects for democratization. Nigeria arguably combines the formal architecture of modern bureaucratic states, constrained in theory by laws– with the informal reality of a highly unitary, centralized, personalized and unaccountable power. Usually emanating from an unaccountable and autocratic like executive to his inner cycle or the cabal, who in turn serve as patrons to lower level power brokers down to the fragmented mass of citizens. This interpenetration of institutions has created a hybrid state of a sort, where periodic elections are held, and they abounds core institutions of liberal democracies; but remains highly personalistic.

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