停止对尼日利亚地方政府的 Kleptocratic 捕获

Halting the Kleptocratic Capture of Local Government in Nigeria

Executive Summary

In Nigeria, the local government system, while vital for addressing societal needs, is plagued by corruption, inefficiency, and lack of service delivery. This paper highlights the systemic issue of local government kleptocracy, where governance is manipulated for personal gain, significantly impacting the lives of citizens and the broader economic stability of the country.

Key Findings:

• Corruption's Impact: Nigeria's local governments, despite receiving substantial revenues from national sources like petroleum and taxes, have failed to provide essential public services, indicating a profound disconnect between resource allocation and service delivery.
• Root Cause: Corruption is the central driver of local government dysfunction, underpinning failures related to centralization, democratic erosion, outside interference, inadequate resources, mismanagement, and lack of accountability.
• Forms of Corruption: This includes practices such as contract fraud, bribery, kickbacks, ghost workers, "security vote" slush funds, favoritism, embezzlement, and seemingly legal activities that facilitate illicit gains.
• Elites' Role: Governors, state legislators, and local beneficiaries orchestrate the kleptocratic capture, manipulating elections to ensure dominance, thus stifling local democracy and democratic development.

Policy Implications and Recommendations

1. Addressing Socioeconomic Damage: The failure of local governments exacerbates poverty, insecurity, and climate change impacts, particularly in urban and rural areas.
2. Democratization Challenge: Local kleptocracy facilitates the manipulation of elections by state and federal elites, deepening gender inequities and hindering the rise of capable politicians.
3. Fueling Insecurity: By exacerbating communal conflicts and political violence, local corruption undermines societal stability and resilience.
4. Reform Failure: Previous attempts at reform have been insufficient due to the entrenched nature of corruption and the resistance of state and federal officials.
5. Feasible Solution: Eliminating local government through constitutional amendment could be the most effective way to curb corruption, misgovernance, and democratic decline. This measure would dismantle a system that primarily functions as a conduit for corruption and political manipulation, freeing up resources and redirecting public demands towards state governments.
6. Community Empowerment: Dissolving local government would provide space for grassroots citizen groups to participate more actively in community development, fostering local empowerment and democratic participation.

Conclusion

The kleptocratic capture of local government in Nigeria is a systemic issue that requires radical solutions. Eliminating local government through constitutional reform could be the key to addressing the root causes of corruption, misgovernance, and democratic erosion, paving the way for a more accountable and responsive governance structure that truly serves the people of Nigeria.