DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The democratic system of governance is people-driven state affairs in a polity. As government of the people, it affords the citizenry the opportunity to participate in decision-making processes on issues affecting their interest. In developing countries, the system reduces the masses to mere electoral tools for the elites to pull their noses around to achieve their political desires.
Democracy does not actually give the masses the real political power to elect candidates of their choice. It is the best alternative government, but it protects the rights of the people in theory. Perfect protection does not reflect in real life as cases of abuse of human rights abound. In third world countries, the poor do not exercise their political power to influence government policies and programmes. They are being coerced and manipulated during elections purely for the interest of the ruling class. The civil society organizations are checkmating government in its exercise of political power to ensure that the
excesses of the government actions are curtailed to its constitutional limits. Non-governmental organizations are vanguard of good governance as it complements the efforts of the government to provide dividend of democracy. This article examines the character of politics and the prospects of democracy in the contemporary developing world. The objective of the study is to have an overview of the concept of democracy, practices of human rights and the role of civil society with a view to reviewing the prospects and challenges to infringements to the principles of democracy and human rights abuses in developing countries like Nigeria. The study revealed that democracy does not serve the interest of the poor masses. It is a mechanism to enrich the rich.