Using Political Theory's Perspective to Describe Democratic Project in Nigeria: Issues and Explanations

Abstract

This paper examined the interface between political theory and democratic project in Nigeria. The paper argues that, political theorists have roles to play in guiding politicians on the ideals and values in practicing democracy. While there are divergent views about Nigeria's democratic project, the paper argues for and against the journey so far from the Marxist political theory perspective. Thus, the impact of democracy in Nigeria is examined within a dialectical framework of economic and social justice distribution to Nigerian citizens. That democratic project in Nigeria is focused on its primacy, the economic dynamic of democracy. The paper argues that the character of the Nigerian state precipitates for the failure of democratization success in Nigeria, thereby resulting to corruption, electoral malpractices, and security problems. The paper suggested that there is need for substantive rule of law and social justice to mediate between the state and economy. The paper submits, as a proposition to be subjected to empirical scrutiny that, the present situation in Nigeria necessitated for deliberative democracy not representative democracy.