Post-Third Wave Democratisation: A Study of Nigerian and Ghanaian Democratic Experience in the West African Sub-region

Abstract

<p>This article explores the democratic experience in the West African Sub-region and it focuses on Ghana and Nigeria after the post-third wave democratisation. In a real sense, the post-third wave democratisation was a transition to democracy after 1991. The character brought down authoritarian regimes such as one-party systems, military regimes, and personalisation of power. The consequences led to the establishment of democratic governments in different political situations. The article argues that democratic experience dictates the non-feasibility of elections during the transition process as there are massive irregularities that marred the conduct of elections in different forms. This article contests the founding (first) elections that were conducted under the supervision of the military leaders. The outcome of the transition elections had raised an issue on the quality of future democracy. This include the socio-economic development that interfaces with dividends of democracy. Therefore, the post-third wave democratisation defines the new African politics. This implies that the two military leaders Jerry Rawlings (Ghana) and Abdulsalam Abubakar (Nigeria) intentionally handed over power to the military. This means that the countries that organised democracy based unethical practice could witness military intervention or otherwise civil war that may obstruct the new democracies.</p>