ABSTRACT
Nigeria is one of the African countries that is responding to Western pressures to make its states acquire a liberal and democratic culture. Over the years, Nigeria has practiced what can be described as fraudulent democracy. This democracy has been characterized by obnoxious acts such as indiscriminately using money and by very powerful and influential members of the elite class, popularly called‚political godfathers,’ imposing political leaders on the people. This situation has already become a culture in Nigeria because many politicians who want to contest and win elections always look for such persons to support them. This means that they no longer depend on the electorates to win elections, but instead rely on the political godfathers. This political culture was truncated in the 2007 gubernatorial election in Edo state, Nigeria. This paper examines how the problem of moneypolitics and political godfatherism can be eliminated from Nigeria’spolitics in order to strengthen democratic governance in the country. The methodology of the study is essentially analytical and based on lessons from the 2007 gubernatorial election in Edo State. The paper argues that Nigerians are becoming more conscious of their political rights and the need to shun illegal electoral practices. Moreover, this study highlights, among other things, the importance of prosecuting and punishing any one engaged in electoral fraud, including political godfathers. The use of election petitions tribunal should be refined in order to ensure the speedy trial of cases.
