Realising Political Stability in Nigeria through Ict-transformed Government at Grassroots

Political processes are undergoing profound changes due to the challenges imposed by globalization processes to the legitimacy of policy actors and to the effectiveness of policymaking. Political stability emerges from the perceptions of the likelihood that the government will not be destabilized or overthrown by unconstitut ional or violent means, including domestic violence and terrorism. Civil conflicts can lead to the destruction of limited resources, economic infrastructure, institutions of political stability and governance, and ethnic and social fabric. Public services are failing the poor in most countries making building public confidence in e-Government remain an agenda item for the countries. Nigerian Governments have been consistent ly facing challenges to reposition, reinvent, and realign themselves in light of increasing expectations for demonstrable results and enhanced responsiveness for a more cost effective, citizen-centric, and networked government evidenced by several incessant conflicts arising from marginalization of grassroots communities. Access to primary and authentic source of information at the grassroots is key to transparent and responsive government. The ICTs suppor t for traditional governance is thus an effort aimed at building the capacity of indigenous political institutions, to participate in modern governance, have access to information and knowledge as well as to share experiences among themselves and with other stakeholders. This paper examines challenges and opportunities for transforming government and building an information-rich society. It provides strategies to digitize local government administration as a panacea to gaining access to authentic and reliable demographic data/information for meaningful decision-making processes towards attaining political stability from the grassroo ts level of governance using Nigeria’s Ondo State Local Government Areas as case study. It concludes by advocating the adoption and implementation of an “EATING” model, a bottom-up to participatory community engagement and development towards achieving political stability.