TITLE:
A Rational Actor Model in the Study of the Comparative Foreign Policy of Nigeria towards the Niger Republic under President Muhammadu Buhari’s Military Regime and Civilian Administration
AUTHORS:
Emmanuel E. Obuah, Johnson O. Ndubuisi
KEYWORDS:
Foreign Policy, Rational Actor, Hostile Relations, Cordial Relations, Border Closure, Niger, Nigeria
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.11 No.5,
May
13,
2024
ABSTRACT: The study is a comparative analysis of the foreign policy posture of President Buhari’s military and civilian regimes towards Niger Republic. The study adopts a diachronic qualitative approach which relies on content analysis of data collection from written secondary sources. The main objective of the paper is to interrogate the continuity and change in Buhari’s first administration of Nigeria as a military dictator (1983-1985) and his second administration as civilian President (2015-Present). Anchored on the Rational Actor Model (RAM), the study argues that though Nigeria has always enjoyed cordial diplomatic relations with Niger Republic since 1960, the current warm relationship with Niger under President Buhari have deepened. The study further contends that when compared with his military regime era, President Buhari’s current foreign policy posture towards Niger could be interpreted as paradoxical. The study examines different bilateral relations initiated under Buhari from 1983-1985, and 2015-present to understand the continuity and change. Hence, unlike the Buhari’s military regime foreign policy posture towards Niger which was largely ad hoc, hostile, and reactionary marked by sustained border closure; his regime’s foreign policy since 2015 has been characterized by personal friendship and questionable provision of development assistance and as well as mutual consular and security cooperation. The paper concludes that this shifting stance in foreign policy towards Niger is attributable to the prevailing domestic economic circumstance, regime type, security considerations and international system. The study hopes that by using a diachronic qualitative approach which relies on content analysis of data collection from written secondary sources, it would contribute to our understanding of the dynamic of Niger-Nigeria relations.