| dc.description.abstract | Civil society organizations (CSOs) are known to be non-state actors whose goals are neither to make profits nor to seek governing power. They are known essentially to play vital roles in the process of representative democracy as they are generally recognized as an essential ‘third’ sector that have positive impact on good governance by promoting transparency, effectiveness, openness, responsiveness and accountability. Hence, this study aims to examine the influence of the CSOs on Legislations at the Nigeria’s National Assembly. It specifically pursues to; examine the effectiveness of the CSOs in the legislative process vis-à-vis the synergy between CSOs and the Legislature, identify the most adopted strategies by CSOs in influencing legislation in Nigeria, and determine the significant strategic factors influencing the contribution of CSOs in Nigeria Legislation.
The study adopted quantitative research approach. The study employed statistical table of randomness to select five (5) CSOs in the FCT. Subsequently, the study adopted purposive sampling and purposively sampled twenty-five (25) staff from each of the randomly selected five (5) CSOs. Data were collected through well-structured questionnaire and were analyzed using Excel and SPSS analysis packages. The study employed descriptive analysis methodologies such as percentages and charts as well as inferential analysis approach such as factor analysis.
Among other empirical findings, this study found a seemingly fair synergy between the CSOs. However, in spite of the level of the synergy, the study established adequate capacity and staff strength for the CSOs and further found that the engagement of the CSOs in legislative processes and operations had often been successful and had resulted into some significant reforms in electoral process, petroleum sector, taxation and so on. Subsequently, the study identified collaboration and education/sensitization as the most adopted strategies by the CSOs. Also, the empirical findings from the factor analysis established four (4) Factors with loading-strategies (that is Factor 1, 2, 3 and 4) with high reliability of 0.901. However, Factor 1 (with highest eigen-value of 6.57 and 36.47% as percentage of variation) alongside its loading-strategic variables (which include Collaboration, Education/Sensitization and little Persuasion) was identified as the most significant factor of the loading-strategies. Thus, the study concludes that Collaboration, Education/Sensitization and little Persuasion the best and most significant consolidated strategies employed by the CSOs in influencing the legislative process and operation of National Assembly.
Consequently, recognizing how successful and effective CSOs were in their engagement towards influencing the legislative processes and operations of the National Assembly, the study recommends that the public being the critical stakeholders should work together with the CSOs towards influencing the country’s legislation thereby delivering the expectations of representative democracy. Also, acknowledging Collaboration, Education/Sensitization and little Persuasion as the most significant consolidated-strategies of the CSOs, the CSOs are reproved to direct more resources towards building and enhancing their collaboration, education/sensitization and persuasion strategies towards enhancing their effectiveness in influencing the legislative processes and operations of the National Assembly. In addition, in order to enhance the collaboration between CSOs and the Legislators, the legislature should ensure bureaucratic bottlenecks are lessened. | en_US |
