Political Economy of Restructuring the Nigerian State

Abstract

The restructuring discussion seems to be the most current topic in Nigeria’s political discourse today, and it has been picking up steam since 2014. In the meantime, it appears that Nigeria’s current federal system seems to have failed the entire nation. Thus, it is argued in this paper that unwillingness of successive governments to comply with calls for the restructuring of the Nigerian state may be attributed to the advancement and protection of elite economic interests. It went on to say that, this has fueled more pent-up resentment, frustration, impatience, distrust, restlessness as well as some degree of dissatisfaction which is grounded in the escalating class struggle between the populace and the political elites. This study is anchored on regulatory capture theory as its theoretical compass. The study adopted documentary approach for data collection while relying on sequential qualitative analytical techniques. The paper therefore concluded that the growing clamours for restructuring of the Nigerian state are a result of the country becoming a failed state that is unable to carry out the fundamental functions of a sovereign nation-state in this contemporary world system. As a result, this paper recommends using distributive justice, equity and fair play to address Nigeria’s issues with injustice, unfairness and inequalities.