The local government as a vehicle for grassroots mobilization in Nigeria: challenges and prospects

Abstract

The primary focus for the creation of local government in Nigeria is to promote and enhance three major objectives namely; political participation, national development and national integration to the local citizens and the nation at large through proper grassroot mobilization in Nigeria. This is founded on the idea that democracy in Nigeria needs the active and strong participation of the majority of the population in order to be strong, viable, and sustained. The research therefore examined the challenges to the realization of the potentials of LG as vehicle for grassroot mobilization in Nigeria. Both qualitative and quantitative methods of data gathering, interpretation, and analysis were used in the study. Oral interviews with key players and stakeholders were carried out, with additional data or information gotten from secondary sources were used in for the study. The findings of the study are that there are great challenges to the realization of the local government as vehicles for grassroot mobilization in Nigeria and this has had a debilitating effect on national development, national integration and political participation. In line with the findings made, the study recommended urgent actions for effective local government reforms in order to address the urgent and contemporary challenges identified in this study and strict adherence to constitutional provisions.