Achieving Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria: The Roles of Rule of Law

Globally, the rule of law has been established as a central feature of modern states and democracies; it represents an ideal linked to political development. The rule of law rests on the idea that a society adopts through legislation a set of formal rules and norms and decides to adhere to those rules in order to regulate the behavior and interaction of individuals, public institutions and private organizations, including conflict resolution mechanisms. The study aims at achieving sustainable democracy in Nigeria: the roles of rule of law. Conclusively, characteristics of rule of law in Nigeria manifested that, the Nigerian 1999 constitution in its chapter iv on fundamental human rights integrates these rights into our principles of the rule of law. The characteristics of the rule of law are as follows: a) the legitimate authority empowered to make them makes the laws of the land. b) the laws are publicly declared and known to the community and must be obeyed by all. c) the laws apply to everybody so all persons are equal before the law including the lawgivers. d) members of the society are citizens and therefore have rights that must be protected by the law. e) that in applying the laws, discretion should not be applied but decisions should be based on the known principles of the law. f) that the laws apply proactively and not retroactively. Therefore, the rule of law is an affirmation of the principle that the governance of human society should be based on law rather than the whims and caprices of human beings. The paper offered the conceptual clarifications of achieving sustainable democracy in Nigeria: the roles of rule of law. it also highlighted the challenges relating to the rule of law in Nigeria and finally offered the following recommendations so as to enhance the rule of law, thereby drive good governance in the country as: there is need for increased commitment to constitutionalism and ensure that democratic principles are upheld at all times. Restructuring of government institutions is crucial to enhance the practice of rule of law. These include an independent judiciary, free and independent press, a strong civil society, and a professional and accountable police force.