Imperial Presidency and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria

Political competition and participation are crucial to democratic consolidation. Legal and formal guarantees for political competition and participation are nullified by imperial exercise of presidential powers. This paper argues that the presidency of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo fostered one-party domination and in effect derogated from political competition and participation. His instruments were party machinery, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and state agents of force. To achieve democratic consolidation in Nigeria, the independence of critical political structures and state agencies should be strengthened to enable them to discharge their constitutional duties without presidential interference.