POLITICAL THUGGERY AND GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA: EXPERIENCE FROM KWARA STATE POLITICS.

Abstract

Political thuggery has become a recurrent feature in the body politic of Nigeria. This is not without consequences on good governance. The paper examines the causes and the effects of political thuggery on good governance in Nigeria with focus on Kwara state of Nigeria. The study adopts survey method for its research design. 300 copies of questionnaires were administered in four local government areas that were randomly selected in Kwara state. Frequency and simple percentage were used to analyse the data. Using the conflict theory for discussion, the study revealed that politicians sponsored, funded and supported political thuggery. Political thuggery drew willing recruits from unemployment youths, and is sustained by poverty, lack of political ideology and principle as well as money politics. The study made some recommendations, including that, youths should be economically empowered and money politics should be discouraged by the government.