How President Obasanjo Undermined Democracy and Good Governance in Nigeria

The return to democracy in Nigeria in 1999 heightened the people’s hopes of good-governance after prolonged years of military dictatorship. However, whatever high hopes the people had soon faded away with undemocratic actions embarked upon by President Obasanjo which tends to negate the principles of rule of law and constitutionalism, principles which are central to the sustenance of democracy and good-governance. It is in this direction that this study seeks to explain how President Obasanjo undermined democracy and goodgovernance using the forceful and unconstitutional removal of Ngige in Anambra State and the unilateral declaration of martial law in Plateau State as case studies. The study argues that in both episodes, the President acted out of context by not following due process according to the dictates of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The study submits that apart from the President, other institutions and architectures of the state also shirked their responsibilities, thereby legalizing the illegalities perpetrated by President Obasanjo. The paper concludes that by his actions, President Obasanjo wittingly and unwittingly undermined democracy and good-governance in Nigeria.