Interrogating Democracy and Good Governance as Panacea for National Development in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examines the nexus between democracy, good governance and national development in Nigeria. In doing this, the paper adopts descriptive analytical method of analysis to interrogate those issues under investigation. The theory used as a framework of analysis is the democratic theory whose central argument is based on good governance as a determinant for achieving the desired national development. The findings reveal that democracy and good governance are related in the attainment of national development, whereas, in Nigeria the practice of democracy has not been able to enthrone the concept of good governance as a condition to achieve development. And that to achieve this objective, other criteria such as political governance, economic governance and administrative governance are sine qua non which democracy offers towards the attainment of national development. The paper, therefore, recommends that for national development to be achieved a sound democratic governance should be instituted based on good governance criteria that will ensure sound policies and strengthening state capacity and increasing responsiveness in the performance of government activities for national development.