Abstract
A simplistic representation of Nigeria characterises the African giant as a country with northern Muslim
and southern Christian sections. This regional and religious dichotomy hides ancient ethnic tensions
rooted in Nigeria’s colonial past. Since 1999, Nigeria’s democratisation process has exacerbated
national divisions during the presidential elections. Thereafter, the zoning system—a mechanism to
manage the political tensions among northerners and southerners, between Muslims and Christians, and
among the Yoruba, the Ibo and the Hausa-Fulani—was adopted, soon becoming a key characteristic of
Nigeria’s political landscape. Additionally, Goodluck Jonathan, as Musa Yaradua’s vice-president, rose
to the presidency after the latter’s death. Jonathan’s association with the Christian Association of Nigeria
promoted a Christian agenda to fight against what they perceived to be Muslims’ ‘evil’ plans for Nigeria.
Through a comparative analysis of the period ranging from the 1999 presidential elections to date, the
present study analyses the impact of presidents’ religious affiliation on democracy, development and
corruption in Nigeria.
