Nigeria Democracy: A Panacea to Poverty Alleviation?

Abstract

The fight against poverty has been a continuous efforts since the advent of military regimes in Nigeria. However, Nigerians expect more intensive efforts from a democratic government to eradicate their poverty. The return of democracy in Nigeria in 1999 therefore beams the hopes of many Nigerians. This is based on the conception that democracy serve as the governed making a great contribution to the governing process of their lives, where decisions are made to represent their interests. This implies that under a democratic system, the interest of the masses rule. If this applies, poverty which is ravaging Nigeria would have been reduced to a manageable level. With poverty on the increase in Nigeria, one begins to question the efficiency of our democracy. Is Nigeria truly democratic?