The Politics of Economic Reforms: Buhari Organization Programme

The Politics of Economic Reforms: Buhari Organization Programme

As a paper Tiger.


Being
An Abstract
Of a Paper to be presented
In the Nigerian Political Science Association
26th Annual Conference

By
M. M. Yusif
Department of Political Science
Bayero University, Kano


Nigeria has sank deeply into neo-liberal globalization programme. The economic policy has severely undermined all the gains of nationalist capitalist project in the country. The Agriculture and Manufacturing sectors of the economy have collapsed. Social services of education, health etc have fallen down.

The politics of economic reform has changed the face of radical politics in most developing countries including Nigeria. In Nigeria in particular there seems to be accommodation with neo-liberal globalization. It is becoming clearer that there is dire need of radical departure which must be based on opposition against neo-liberalism. How would this be is not easy to define. As neo-liberalization has dealt with workers and other lower classes, class politics has appeared more precisely between the nationalist and the internationalist sections of the internal class forces.

Since from 2003 elections this dominated the terrain of democratic politics in Nigeria. Both the major and the smaller political parties are neo-liberal in their structures, membership and programmes. At least they are “Cartel” parties as well as mere electoral machines.

However, how are these parties reconciling with interest of their economy and society. The Buhari Organization and its project Nigeria for 2003 elections contain this contradiction. Comprised of politicians, extechnocrats, some academicians, many young supporters, but with no sympathy of workers organizations or any left movement, the Buhari Organization has not emerged with any Blue print for economic development of Nigeria, until when the 2003 elections approached when it had come up with something like election manifesto, which at any rate is not recognized by his main party i.e. the ANPP.

Nevertheless, Buhari has large followship, especially among the less privileged in Northern Nigeria. Yet, what would be the economic direction of Buhari in Power. Which of the following actions are coming.

1. Bringing the state back
2. A smart partnership with neo-liberation
3. Falling into the well of the neo-liberal globalization

This paper is an attempt to assess Buhari Organization Programme in the context of neo-liberal capitalism in Nigeria. It is merely an academic exercise and has nothing to do with partisan prejudices in Nigerian political development.

The paper would pose once again the most popular question among the Nigerian academics, whether Buhari has ever attacked the existing economic structure and the undemocratic democratic system with clarity of coming out with alternative which would make great difference as expected by the people. Therefore, an attempt would be made to locate the Buhari Organization Programme in Nigeria’s economic system as well as to raise many issues as challenges for the Buhari Organization Programme, especially on the Neo-liberal system.

By way of conclusion we would bring a set of basic features which distinguishes Burhari from other politicians and the hopes as well as the problems for Nigeria’s development.