Policy Somersault: Implications for the Nigerian Economy.

Abstract

This paper examined the implications of policy somersault in developing Nigerian economy. The paper anchored its analytical model on Political bargaining/Government politics process, as postulated by Allison (1957). Policy somersault which is a synonym of policy failure is replete in modern political and economic literature and has been analyzed by researchers to be a function of certain intervening variables or determinants which in this paper varied as interest, values, demands for policy output, over ambitious goals, political environment and inadequate knowledge of policy issues etc. The analysis of the issues revealed that policy somersault has a corresponding bearing to economic growth and development of nations including Nigeria. Hence this study established that the rate of policy failure in Nigeria has a direct bearing with the level of our economic development. The study therefore recommended among others, that public policies
should adopt people‟s values and be structured within the reach of ordinary citizens; and that the citizens must be careful not to demand more than government can afford within its limited resources per period.