The Politics of Exclusion & Governance in Nigeria: A Thematic Analysis of the Buhari Administration

Abstract

This study's overarching purpose is to explore the challenges of imbalance and exclusion in our national life between/among states, social and ethnic/religious groups in light of the recent appointments made by the Buhari administration on diversity in Nigeria. This is due to the fact that people who have been excluded have continued to worry over President Muhammadu Buhari's previous nominations. It is an established fact that good governance is characterized by transparency, responsiveness, participation, the rule of law, equity, and accountability. Its fundamental beliefs consist of accommodating and tolerating the various viewpoints of political opponents through intentional inclusion in the political affairs of one's country. Since the inception of democratic dispensation in 1999, governance in Nigeria has always been based on politics of exclusion, both in terms of the opinions of individuals whose contributions are necessary for the development of the country and in terms of the political appointments of individuals from specific areas/sections. These leaders who have attained State authority, control State resources and begin to decide "who gets what, when, and how" in the political system with little or no regard for the country's overall cohesion and progress. The data in this study were analyzed using a qualitative, descriptive technique. Using elite theory, the paper discovered that unless our leaders eschew ethnic, religious, and partisan politics in governance, the clamour for disintegration and crises caused by these ethnic groups will continue to incite unnecessary distractions that will lead to disunity and underdevelopment in Nigeria. .