Autocrats Influence Mechanism in post-Authoritarian Regime: A Case of Nigeria

This article investigates whether, and how, a political institution provides an explanation to ex-autocrats political influence beyond military rule. It uses a network method to uncover the relational ties between members of the National Council of State in Nigeria (NCS)—a body which influences the outcome of political decision in the post-authoritarian regimes. The ex-autocrats influence derives from the constitutionally enshrined political advisory body that offers opportunity for direct and indirect communication between all former and present Presidents and Head of States, all retired and serving Chief Justices of the federation and the leadership of the national assembly, post-military rule. The mechanism of influence of ex-autocrats is embedded in the structure of governance in the political system. This article contributes to our knowledge of political survival of ex-authoritarian rulers through an understanding of institutionalized mechanism of influence in post-authoritarian politics. It therefore extend the study of power structures and processes, which have fundamentally revolves around the existence of a cohesive ruling class in established democracies, to uncharted research territory of authoritarian survival in Nigeria.