The Legislature in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic and the Imperative for Ideology Politics for Transparent Governance in Africa

This paper addresses some basic questions, chief of which revolve around: a) What factors accounted for the representative deficit of the legislature and legislative practices in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic? and b) What factors have hindered the effective performance of the legislature in accountability terms? We use library and archival searches to situate Nigeria’s dilemma of instituting enduring representative government and consolidating popular participation. We offer reflective insights into avoidable structural pitfalls in the nation’s renewed bid to engender popular participation through effective representative institutions particularly the legislature at the national and subnational levels. The paper falls within the area of political philosophy and leadership philosophy with a view to strengthening a culture of democratic practice in Nigeria and the continent of Africa