ISSN 2360-7998
Abstract
President Buhari came to power in the 2015 elections, and one of his main campaign promises was to fight the corruption that was considered rife in his predecessor’s administration. However, years later, corruption still subsists as one of the greatest challenges facing Nigeria. In recent times, public attention has been drawn to the spectacles of corruption cases in Nigeria, especially in the agencies of government. This has shown that moral values are fast diminishing among the people. As it were, integrity, honesty and dedication to duty have collapsed in the society and particularly among politicians, political office holders and government officials. The menace of corruption in Nigeria poses a great threat to the democratic governance of the country. This study, titled "Political Corruption and Democratic Governance in Nigeria, 2015-2023," aims to investigate the impact of political corruption on democratic governance. Specifically, the study seeks to examine the effects of bribery, embezzlement, and nepotism on transparency, government accountability, and the rule of law, respectively. Grounded in the principal-agent theory propounded by Michael C. Jensen and William H. Meckling in 1976, the study elucidates how the dynamics between principals (citizens) and agents (government officials) contribute to corruption within democratic institutions. The findings reveal that bribery significantly impacts transparency, embezzlement affects government accountability, and nepotism influences the rule of law in Nigeria's democratic governance. The study recommends strengthening anti-bribery measures, enhancing financial oversight, promoting merit-based appointments, and increasing public awareness to combat corruption and improve governance. These recommendations are aimed at fostering a more transparent, accountable, and equitable democratic system in Nigeria.
Keywords: Political, Corruption, Democracy, Governance, Buhari