CHRISTOCENTRIC WORLDVIEW AND PARTISAN POLITICS IN NIGERIA AND GHANA: A POLITICAL THEOLOGY FOR AN ETHICAL DILEMMA

Abstract

In recent times, there has been a growing public concern regarding partisan political activities in Africa. The problem centers on the increasing polarization and divisiveness that characterize political affiliations, often leading to a lack of accountability and ethical governance. In many African nations, including Nigeria and Ghana, partisan politics has become synonymous with corruption, electoral malpractices, and uncritical support for political parties, which can compromise democratic processes and undermine public trust in government institutions. Electoral malpractices, such as vote-buying, intimidation, and manipulation of results, have raised alarms about the integrity of elections and the legitimacy of political leadership. Given this situation, there is a pressing need for a reevaluation of how political engagement is approached within the context of faith, particularly among Christian communities. This research, therefore, explores how Christocentric worldview might address ethical issues related to partisan politics in both Nigeria and Ghana. A desk-based research approach was used to gather and analyze data from journal articles, Bible commentaries, books and theses. It will present various scholarly viewpoints on the subject, followed by an exploration of Christ’s perspective on political involvement. This paper contends that a Christocentric worldview can provide a transformative framework for ethical political engagement, fostering justice, servant leadership, integrity and accountability in the political landscape of Nigeria and Ghana. The paper addresses a critical issue that is gaining attention in African politics; namely, the negative impact of partisan divisiveness on democratic integrity and ethical governance.