Exploring elites’ arrangement and national integration in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic: challenges of rotational presidency=Ukuhlola izilungiselelo zabaphezulu ngokwempilo kanye nokuhlanganiswa kukazwelonke embusweni waseNigeria wesine: izinselele zokushintshashintsha.kukamongameli.

Abstract

The Nigerian state is ethnically and religiously diverse and this plurality culminated in crises that have displaced many and claimed lives and property. The response of the government and political elites to address this political quagmire include federalism, constitutional conferences, the creation of states and local governments, revenue allocation formulas, the National Youth Service Corps, federal character principle, among other integrative policies. However, these mechanisms have not resolved the instability in the system. The country’s political system is overly centralised with sprawling presidential power. Given a divided political elite, competition for power in executive positions at all levels of the government has become intense. To this end, they exploit ethnic and religious sentiments to actualise their pecuniary interests. This often results in political violence orchestrated by the elites. This study focused on the rotational presidency as an integration tool. The study adopted the interpretive approach using the qualitative method for data collection and analysis. Twenty-two participants were purposively selected from the six geo-political zones, based on their vast knowledge of the Nigerian political system. They were interviewed face-to-face using semi-structured interviews. Interviews data were thematically analysed. The study revealed that a rotational presidency should not be jettisoned provided good leadership qualities are considered. The study used elite, integration, and relative deprivation theories as well as consociational and centripetal power sharing models as theoretical and conceptual frameworks. The study discovered that the political elites exploit rotational presidency and zoning to advance their interests, most often, by violent means. The study contended that failed integration processes have metamorphosed into feelings of deprivation because the political elites have failed to harness the principles for the intended purposes. The study recommends a rotational presidency combined with social, political, and economic restructuring. Other recommendations include revamping the educational system to boost cultural acceptability, accountability, and strong civil societies, among others.

IQOQA Izwe laseNigeria laziwa ngokuba nezizwe eziningi ezahlukene kanye namabandla amaningi ahlukene, kanti lokhu kwehlukahlukana kuba nemiphumela engemihle nenze abantu abaningi balahlekelwa ngamakhaya kanye nezimpilo zabo. Ukubhekana nalezi zinkinga, ohulumeni abaningi bazamile ukuqhamuka nezixazululo, okufaka kuzona uhulumeni ohlukaniswe ngokuba nezifundazwe kodwa ube ulawulwa nguhulumeni owodwa omkhulu, ukuba nezinkomfa mayelana nomthethosisekelo, ukwakhiwa kohulumeni abaningi kanye nohulumeni basekhya, ukwakha izinhlaka zokuqoqa intela, izinhlaka zikaZwelonke zentsha, ukuxhumana kohulumeni abahlukene kanye nezinqubomgomo ezizama ukwakha ubumbano. Nokho, yonke le mizamo ayiphumelelanga ekuletheni uzinzo kohulumeni. Isimo sepolitiki ezweni sibonakala silawulwa kakhulu uhulumeni omkhulu futhi amandla amaningi anikezwa umongameli wezwe. Ukukhula kokungezwani kosopolitiki kwenza kube nokuncitisana okukhulu mayelana nokuthi ngubani ozoqhoqhobala amandla ombuso. Manje, kubonakala osopolitiki besebenzisa ukuhlukana kwezizwe nokwamabandla ukuze bafeze izinjongo zabo zepolitiki. Lokhu kuholela ekutheni kube nodlame lwezombusazwe oludalwa ngosopolitiki. Lolu cwaningo lubona ukudluliselwa kwamandla okuphatha komongameli njengethuluzi elihle lokwakha ubumbano. Lolu wucwaningo lwesimo oluyikhwalithethivu okukhiqizwe kulona imininingo kubahlanganyeli abangamashumi amabili nambili, abakhethwa ngokwenhloso emaqenjini ezombusazwe eyisithupha, bekhethwa ngenxa yolwazi lwabo olunzulu lwesimo sezepolitiki yaseNigeria. Kwabanjwa izingxoxo ezisakuhleleka ubuso nobuso nabo abahlanganyeli bocwaningo. Imininingo eyakhiqizwa yilezi zingxoxo ezisakuhleleka yahlaziywa ngokwezindikimba. Lolu cwaningo luveze ukuthi ukushintshaniswa kwamandla okuphatha omongameli akumele nje kuvele kunikezelwe kunoma ngubani kodwa kumele kube ngumuntu onamava okuphatha. Lolu cwaningo lusebenzise izinjulalwazi nohlaka lwemicabango okungabaphathi bezwe, ukubumbana, ithiyori yokuncishwa amandla, ukuphatha ngokuhlanganyela kanye nokuqoqela onke amandla endaweni eyodwa. Imiphumela yalolu cwaningo iveza ukuthi osopolitiki basebenzisa kabi ukushintshaniswa kwamandla okuphatha omangameli ukufeza ezabo izinhloso futhi lokhu bakwenza ngokusebenzisa udlame. Lolu cwaningo luveze ukuthi ukuhluleka ukwakha ubumbano kuletha isimo esingesihle emphakathini ngenxa yosopolitiki abahlulekayo ukwakha ubumbano. Lolu cwaningo luphakamisa ukuba kube nokushintshaniswa kwamandla okuphatha komongameli okuza nezinguquko enhlalenikahle yomphakathi, kwezepolitiki kanye nakwezomnotho. Ezinye iziphakamiso ukuthi kuthuthukiswe ezemfundo, ukubekezelelana kwezamasiko, ukubhekana nemiphumela yezenzo zosopolitiki, kanye nokuzibandakanya ngokuphelele kwezinhlaka zomphakathi, nokunye.