DEPARTMENT OF POLITCAL SCIENCE

This study comparatively examined the politics, governance and development in pre- colonial and post-colonial Nigeria. Politics is conceived as the study of the state and its institutions and the relationship these institutions have with the people living in the state. Governance refers to the activity, process or quality of governing. Development is concerned with changes in environment, health, economy, politics, social and cultures that create and supports lives. This study was qualitative, relying on secondary materials such as books, articles, newspapers and other secondary materials. The study found that politics in pre-colonial and post-colonial Nigeria are significantly different. While both can boast of operating under checks and balances, the principle was more entrenched and respected in the pre-colonial period than in this contemporary post-colonial period. In post-colonial Nigeria, various institutions appear to be serving the interest of the executive headed by a president who wields so much power. It was also found that governance in pre-colonial Nigeria and post-colonial Nigeria are different in that in pre- colonial period, governance was based on decentralized and centralized system. The exigency of power depended on the region or community. In post-colonial Nigeria, the governance system is characterized by high corruption, foreign domination, exclusion and socio-economic crisis. Leadership is a very big challenge since independence orchestrating agitations from the people. Lastly, it was found that development in pre- colonial Nigeria and post-colonial Nigeria are different in that in pre-colonial period. Development during pre-colonial period was seen in the areas of commerce and trade which provided the needed harmony and peace for communal living. Whereas in post- colonial Nigeria, there have been preponderance of poverty, malnutrition, insecurity, health-related issues, rapid inflation and poor infrastructure. The study therefore recommended that there is need for the current post-colonial Nigerian government to revert to the era of agriculture-based economy; entrench the principle of checks and balances that would address tyranny and entrench accountability and transparency in the 12 public dealing and the political system of Nigeria should reflect the ethnic, religious and socio-economic background of the people.

The Niger Delta crisis has been a major threat to both socio-economicactivities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. At present, the amnesty programmeis six years since it implementation in the Niger Delta as the Federal Governmentof Nigeria through the amnesty package had good intentions for grantingmilitantsamnesty with the hope that the gesture would effectively put an endtoyouthsrestiveness in the region. Amnesty therefore is a guarantee of exemptionfromprosecution and pardon from punishment for certain criminal, rebel andinsurgentactions hitherto committed usually against the state. It indemnifies affectedpersonsin terms of safety and protection from punitive actions, retributions andassociatedlosses.

Over the decades, the increasing growth of cyberspace more commonly known as the internet has ushered in a new problem, the problem of cybercrime. Cybercrime has been a commonproblem in Nigeria from the early 2000’s and it has only gotten worse, and it’s costing the country of Nigeria in more ways than one. The majority of its perpetrators are undergraduatestudents in universities. This paper seeks to truly understand the ideology and perception of cybercrime fromthe university students’ perspectives. What pushes them to commit this crime and disregard possibleconsequences and why its common in universities especially and at the end of this research, propose a solution to the relevant authorities on how the problem can be solved.

This research examined revenue allocation and political stability in Nigeria. The research seeks to examine the impact and challenges of allocation on different tiers of government in Nigeria, to investigate how revenue allocation has defined political stability in Nigeria and to examine the extent to which the statutory allocation formula adopted in the past has affected the path of economic growth and development in Nigeria. The research adopted the human capital theory as theoretical framework. The study largely adopted the library research method as secondary data were utilized and content analyzed. The study concludes that revenue allocation in Nigeria both in the pre-independence era and the post-independence era has been fraught with cotroversies. It was revealed that all the revenue allocation formulae have been geared towards the favor of the federal government, given that they have the highest share of the federation account. The study therefore recommends that that the state and local government be given a higher share of the revenue, given that they are seen to be closer to the citizens. It was also recommended that transparency, accountability, and efficiency on the part of all the levels of government should be enshrined to ensure that revenue allocated to specific projects are utilized appropriately, that way preventing the abandonment of projects when a new government emerges

The 1983 coup d’état that ousted the Shehu Shagari government out of power gave to justify their action with the poor health condition of across the country. The master minders claimed that the country’s hospitals had become “mere consulting clinics. “In the speech announcing the overthrow of the government, Sani Abacha (then a brigadier- general) lamented, “Health services are in (a) shambles as our hospitals are reduced to mere consulting clinics without drugs, water and equipment.” Depressingly, 40 years after, the last 24 years under civilian rule, not much improvement has been witnessed in the sector. (Source Punch Newspaper 14 September, 2021. page 14). Things have deteriorated in the sector so much that even the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), alongside the political elite, does not trust the country’s hospitals enough for their medical needs. Instead, have resorts to medical tourism in the United Kingdom at huge public huge expense. The British Broadcasting Corporation says Nigeria spends about $1 billion annually on medical tourism, particularly to India. This poor health
infrastructure no doubt is the basic reason for the high-level exit of skilled medical workers from the county. The study examined the health implications of globalization of skilled Medical Health workers with evidence from post Covid -19 Brain Drains in Edo
State Nigeria. It was discovered that globalization has produced significant shifts everywhere. Healthcare is undergoing dramatic globalization. This research is about the high level of brain drain as experience in the post covid -19 in Edo State Nigeria. With
the mass exodus of doctors fleeing an increasingly hostile work and economic environment, if care is not taken, there will be nobody to consult at the decayed “clinics” again. Health is not valued until sickness comes. The study revealed that despite the risks
of frontline workers during the pandemic –migration to high income countries remain attractive to medical skilled and health workers from Edo State due to better working conditions including remuneration and workload. The implications is that if not managed well, increased demand for health workers will leave considerable gaps in Edo already weak health system. (Nation Newspaper on Apr 25, 2022). It is recommended that government should intensify effort in the proper funding and encouragement of health workers in Nigeria in order to arrest the continuous increase of brain drain in Edo State and in Nigeria.

In recent years, there has been an increasing recognition of the pivotal role that women play in driving sustainable development at the grassroot level. Empowering women not only enhances their socioeconomic status but also fosters community development. However, despite numerous empowerment initiatives, women in Oredo local government area, Benin city, continue to face multifaceted challenges that hinder their full participation in development process. This study investigated women empowerment and grassroots development in Nigeria: A case study of Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. The study adopted descriptive research survey design in building up this project work. The sample size was made up of 100 respondents. The data collected was analyzed using frequency count and simple percentage. The study revealed that some of the ways to improve women empowerment to enhance their contribution to grassroots development include access to education, economic empowerment, political participation, legal reforms and protection and access to microfinance and credit facilities. It was concluded that there is a significant impact of women empowerment on grassroots development in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. The study recommends among others that that the government design and implement targeted capacity-building programmes focusing on providing women with relevant skills, knowledge, and resources to actively participate in economic, social, and political spheres within their communities.

The 1983 coup d’état that ousted the Shehu Shagari government out of power gave to justify their action with the poor health condition of across the country. The master minders claimed that the country’s hospitals had become “mere consulting clinics. “In the speech announcing the overthrow of the government, Sani Abacha (then a brigadier- general) lamented, “Health services are in (a) shambles as our hospitals are reduced to mere consulting clinics without drugs, water and equipment.” Depressingly, 40 years after, the last 24 years under civilian rule, not much improvement has been witnessed in the sector. (Source Punch Newspaper 14 September, 2021. page 14). Things have deteriorated in the sector so much that even the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), alongside the political elite, does not trust the country’s hospitals enough for their medical needs. Instead, have resorts to medical tourism in the United Kingdom at huge public huge expense. The British Broadcasting Corporation says Nigeria spends about $1 billion annually on medical tourism, particularly to India. This poor health
infrastructure no doubt is the basic reason for the high-level exit of skilled medical workers from the county. The study examined the health implications of globalization of skilled Medical Health workers with evidence from post Covid -19 Brain Drains in Edo State Nigeria. It was discovered that globalization has produced significant shifts everywhere. Healthcare is undergoing dramatic globalization. This research is about the high level of brain drain as experience in the post covid -19 in Edo State Nigeria. With
the mass exodus of doctors fleeing an increasingly hostile work and economic environment, if care is not taken, there will be nobody to consult at the decayed “clinics” again. Health is not valued until sickness comes. The study revealed that despite the risks of frontline workers during the pandemic –migration to high income countries remain attractive to medical skilled and health workers from Edo State due to better working conditions including remuneration and workload. The implications is that if not managed well, increased demand for health workers will leave considerable gaps in Edo already weak health system. (Nation Newspaper on Apr 25, 2022). It is recommended that government should intensify effort in the proper funding and encouragement of health workers in Nigeria in order to arrest the continuous increase of brain drain in Edo State and in Nigeria.

This study critically examines gender politics and women's participation in Nigerian politics, focusing on the 2020 governorship election in Edo state. Through four key research objectives, the project aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing women in Nigerian politics. Firstly, it analyzes historical trends in women's political participation, spanning from pre-colonial eras to the present day. Secondly, it explores the socio cultural, economic, and political barriers that inhibit women's empowerment in Nigeria, including patriarchal norms and institutional biases. Thirdly, the study evaluates existing strategies and policies aimed at promoting women's political participation, such as affirmative action and gender quotas. Finally, based on these analyses, the project proposes recommendations to enhance women's political empowerment in Nigeria, encompassing
legislative reforms, institutional changes, and grassroots mobilization efforts. Through this research, the study contributes to the scholarly discourse on gender politics and women's empowerment in Nigeria, offering insights to inform policy-making and advocacy initiatives toward achieving gender equality in the political sphere. This research utilizes a quantitative data collection method. A well-structured questionnaire was used to obtain information from 164 respondents. Findings revealed that women's participation is still at a lower level during the 2020 governorship election in Edo State. The results highlight the persistent gender disparities in political representation and engagement, underscoring the need for targeted interventions to promote gender equality and increase women's political participation. The findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on gender and politics in Nigeria, emphasizing
the importance of addressing the systemic barriers that hinder women's full participation in the political sphere.

The issue of insecurity in Nigeria election is getting worse to the extent that the turnout of voters in an election as reduce drastically. The quest for power among political actors and the actions they take towards gaining power is unfriendly. This actions taken by them which are unfavorable is discovered to have affect the smooth running process of an election which undermine a free and fair election. The 2023 presidential election saw the use of various form of violence to the extent that voters were
unable to vote in a safety condition. Citizens are no longer confident on the capability of INEC to run an election without insecurity prevailing. This therefore raises serious concerns as to the capability of INEC in conducting and delivering a free and fair
elections to Nigerians. The acts of violence such as beating, forcing or threatening voters ,sporadic gun shot by unknown gun men as well as killing of ad hoc and permanent staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during an
election is due to lack of security which makes the polling unit unsafe for voters to vote. In view of this , the study examines the politics behind the insecurity that occur at the polling unit in Nigeria election particularly in the 2023 presidential election in Edo State. Compelled by the challenges faced by INEC in election day due to insecurity ; this research sought to provide solution on the phenomenon of insecurity in relation to its impact on voter’s turnout in Nigeria election. The study adopt both qualitative and quantitative approach to accomplish its specific objectives. The research study concluded that insecurity reduce voter’s turnout in an election and undermine a free and fair election. Thus, if nothing is done to curb insecurity from prevailing in an election it will result to low voter’s turnout in elections to come.The research study concludes that addressing the issue of insecurity in an election requires the input of all security agencies and INEC . The action is not only for INEC to undertake it requires the aid of security agencies because the problem of insecurity in an election can be successfully curb by joint force.

ABSTRACT
The study investigated the “Youth Political Participation and Student Union Election in Nigeria: A case study of University of Benin” it ascertains if Nigeria youth are actively participating in politics or not using the student union election as the point of analysis. The Study adopted a quantitative research method with survey instruments developed to gather data analysis. Findings after the Survey revealed that Participating in politics by the youth is low and is caused by some challenges. It’s important to note that the findings supported that bad leadership and poor representation from past political leaders has led to the downward trend of participation by the youths. It was further advised that the government should stage an awareness campaign to enlighten the citizens and youth most especially on the need why they should participate in political activities and also encourage youth political advocacy group to encourage political participation amongst the youth.