Research
The Political Economy of Mass Transit Programme in Nigeria: An Evaluation of Government Post- Petroleum Subsidy Intervention
This paper investigated the political economy of mass transit programme in Nigeria using federal government post-petroleum subsidy removal intervention as a case study. The primary objective of the study is to determine the impact of the intervention on the socio-economic and mobility hardship that resulted from the removal of the subsidy. With the aid of secondary and primary sources of data collection, the paper observed that contrary to its original aim, the mass transit programme now pursues elites’ economic interest. It further observed that the programme became an instrument of political settlement and a capitalist programme for profit maximisation because all the government owned mass transit companies have been commercialised. It observed also that the intervention has no positive impact on the socio-economic and mobility hardship of the people. Thus, the paper recommends a reversal of the commercialisation of mass transit companies, government donation of vehicles to labour unions and government own transport companies.
Boko Haram Insurgency: A Northern Agenda for Regime Change and Islamization in Nigeria, 2007 a 2013
Nigeria witnessed the emergence of Boko Haram - an Islamic sect - in 2002 and its active insurgency since 2009. This paper studies the Boko Haram and its operations with a view to determine its relationship with Northern struggle for political hegemony. With the aid of secondary method of data collection and Islamic fundamentalist theory as framework of analysis, the paper observed that the primary goals of the sect are the overthrow of none Muslim and moderate Muslim government and the Islamization of Nigeria. It observed also that the sect receives financial, administrative and security support from many top Northern Islamic politicians, serving political office holders and Northern members of the armed forces. Finally, government anti-terrorism campaign has drastically reduced the spread, success and regularity of Boko Haram insurgency. The paper therefore recommends punitive anti-terrorism laws, and the adoption of state of emergency as a regular approach to fighting terrorism among others in Nigeria.
Struggle for Hegemony and the Economics of Nuclear Proliferation in a Non-Proliferation Regime: the Case of Iran Nuclear Programme
This paper studies the nuclear proliferation in a non-proliferation regime using Iranian nuclear stand-off as case illustration. It seeks to find out the core reasons why nuclear proliferation has been possible under international prohibition. It seeks also to find out the reason why Iran has successfully defied international sanctions and isolation against its nuclear programme. With the aid of documentary method of data gathering and rational actors model as framework od=f analysis, this paper observed that struggle for hegemony among the super powers, pursuit of international trade in nuclear materials and technology, skewed provisions in the principles of NPT, nuclear states refusal to disarmament are the major factors responsible for nuclear proliferation under NPT regime. The paper also observed the same factors together with Iran’s strategic location and natural resources endowments are responsible for Iran’s successful defiance of international sanctions against its nuclear programme. It is therefore recommended that all nuclear states should unconditionally dismantle their nuclear weapons and facilities under unrestricted supervision of the five permanent members of UNSC. The principles of NPT should be reviewed and fundamentally restructured.
Religion in the Political Economy of Democratization in the South Eastern Nigeria: the Anambra State Experience
This paper provides an overview of the dynamics of religion, political godfatherism [i.e. the act of mentoring people into political office for purposes of indirect control of appointments and public funds] and democratization in the South Eastern Nigeria with a special focus on Anambra state since 1999 when the country returned to civilian rule after sixteen years of military rule. Methodologically, this paper adopted public choice theory and survey methods of inquiry with 1800 questionnaires distributed. With the aid of tables and arithmetic percentage formula, this paper observes that political elites hijacked party structures using party financing and impose candidates after reaching agreements with them on the party and the state for purposes of rent seeking and political dominance. Religious oaths using African Traditional Religious rituals were used to safeguard these pre-electoral agreements, and by the application of existing political schisms between Catholic and Anglican churches, they seek support for their candidates. Tussle for political power between these two churches, and between them and individual godfathers, which ended in the triumph of institutional godfathers followed. This opened sources of resources for churches through the appointment of their members into political positions. This paper therefore concludes that religious belief and affiliation fundamentally decide electoral choice and political appointments in Anambra state.
