ABSTRACT

The Nigerian constitution provides for there three tiers of government namely, Federal, State and Local Government tiers. The position of the local government administration was strengthened by the great reforms of the Murtala/Obasanjo regime in 1976, to enhance harmonization, uniformity and standardization of the local government structure and functions. The autonomy of the local government was further enhanced in June 1991 by the enactment of the local government (Basic Constitutional and Transition Provisions Amendment No. 23 Decree) that extended the presidential system to the local government. It was strengthened by the 1999 constitution. The administration of local government is exercised through elected or representative councils. The objective of the study is to examine the incumbency factor(s) in the method of political recruitment in the local government administration and to determine the use of informal system of recruitment in the recruitment of political officeholders in Enugu State. In Enugu State between 1999 and 2005, the former State governor, Chimaroke Nnamani, had used the informal method of recruitment of political officeholders, into the local government administration. The data for the study were analyzed using the mean score point value. After finding the mean a cut off-point was determined. The cut-off point was obtained by dividing the sum of nominal values by the number of scaling item. Any item with mean 2.50 or above was thus regarded as having been accepted by the respondents. The analysis of date shows that there was no transparency in the recruitment process of political officeholders into the local government administration in Enugu State from 1999 to 2005. The informal system of recruitment was used by the State Government where the former governor deliberately selected candidates who were either not competent or some thugs who they had used in the past. The implication of this system is that the council chairmen and councilors abdicate their constitutional functions of providing socio-economic and political service to the people and were romancing with the chief executive of the State to loot the council treasury.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. i Approval Page …………………………………………………………………………………………… ii Certification……………………………………………………………………………………………… iii Dedication ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. iv Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………………………………… v Table of Contents ……………………………………………………………………………………… vi List of Table …………………………………………………………………………………………….. ix Abstract ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. x CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study ………………………………………………………….. 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem ………………………………………………………… 5 1.3 Objectives of the Study …………………………………………………………… 7 1.4 Significance of the Study ……………………………………………………….. 7 1.5 Scope and Limitation of the Study …………………………………………… 8 1.6 Literature Review ………………………………………………………………….. 9 1.7 Theoretical Framework ……………………………………………………….. 38 1.8 Hypotheses ………………………………………………………………………… 46 1.9 Methods of Data Collection …………………………………………………. 46 CHAPTER TWO: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND THE INSTITUTIONS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN ENUGU STATE 2.1 Historical Background of Enugu State …………………………………… 62 2.2 Structure of Local Government in Enugu State ………………………… 69 2.3 Functions of Local Government Administration in Enugu State …. 79 CHAPTER THREE: POLITICAL RECRUITMENT AND INCUMBENCY FACTOR IN ENUGU STATE 3.1 The Incumbency Factor(s) in a Dependent State ……………………….. 87 3.2 Politics of Local Government Dissolution ………………………………. 89 3.3 Ebeano Political Family/Group …………………………………………….. 95 3.4 Nomination/Appointment of Political Officeholders ……………….. 97 3.5 The Use of Incumbency Power …………………………………………… 104 3.6 Summary of Findings ………………………………………………………… 108 CHAPTER FOUR: THE MERIT SYSTEM AND POLITICAL RECRUITMENT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN ENUGU STATE 4.1 Absence of Formal Merit System of Recruitment in Local Government Administration Undermine Political Recruitment 115 4.2 Political Culture in Local Government Administration ………….. 118 4.3 Political Socialization in Local Administration ……………………… 124 4.4 Political Parties …………………………………………………………………. 139 4.5 Political Corruption ……………………………………………………………. 148 4.6 Anti-Corruption Crusades …………………………………………………… 164 CHAPTER FIVE: THE IMPLICATION OF METHODS OF RECRUITMENT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN ENUGU STATE 5.1 The Implications of the Informal System of Recruitment in Enugu State ……………………………………………………………… ……172 5.2 The Social Implications of Using Informal Method of Recruitment ……………………………………………………176 5.3 The Economic Implications of Using Informal Method of Recruitment …………………………………………………………………….. 181 5.4 The Political Implications of Using Informal Method of Recruitment …………………………………………………………………….. 188 5.5 Discussion of the Findings ………………………………………………… 193 CHAPTER SIX: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 6.1 Summary ……………………………………………………………………………. 229 6.2 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………. 244 6.3 Recommendation………………………………………………………………… 252 BIBLIOGRAPHY ………………………………………………………………………………….. 259 APPENDIX …………………………………………………………………………………………… 277