THE NEXUS BETWEEN MORALITY AND POLITICS

Abstract

In the midst of the present political dispensation in Africa, in which issues of justice, equality and fairness are been called to question, the issue of the connection between morality and politics is been brought to the limelight again, considering the fact there are a lot of practices going on the political landscape in Nigeria today that are totally at variance with the norms and prerequisites for the conduct of such actions. The basic principle is that people must practice leadership with integrity and values. Contemporary political practices show that there is a large number of active political issues as a foundation for right and proper conduct of state politics. For instance, in Nigeria, issues such as corruption, vote buying and selling, campaigns bereft of ideas and main issues, certicate forgery and numerous doubts about the integrity of political actors occupy the centre stage of the political life. A thorough consideration of the issues mentioned above calls for reassessment of the way politics is fast being separated from morality, which has led to the popular saying that “politics is a dirty game.” Due to this anomalies that are prevalent today, this paper calls for the stringent implementation of the ethos of political engagement be they electoral or constitutional. The assessment is that religious institutions might play a crucial role in the formulation of rules that can inuence the political establishment, when making policy decisions and implementing them. The paper shall adopt the expository and analytic approach in accomplishing its task.