SINCE the beginning of the Fourth Re-public of Nigeria in 1999, certain pain-ful features of the democratic experience make the citizenry wonder if at all the clamour for democracy was worth it. First among these features is the emergence of a rapacious political class who in its tenure as representatives of the people transformed almost suddenly into an opulent class while widening the economic gap between it and the people it claims to represent.

ANOTHER feature is the continued infrastructural decay to such an extent that the country is gradually becoming unliveable. The roads, schools, hospitals and water, amenities that are routinely taken for granted in arguably poorer countries are becoming luxuries in Nigeria, available only to the rich and the influential in society. Presently, a cholera scourge is ravaging some parts of the country and the death toll is on the rise.

RECENTLY, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), called its members out on a strike which plunged the country into darkness, and yet this is a country that was in relative darkness even while the electricity workers were not on strike. The electricity challenge had humbled the administration of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo to the point of crippling the private or real sector of the economy, and that meant dealing a deadly blow to the prospect of employing youths and making life more worthwhile for the general citizenry.

THE arrowhead of the harrowing experience of democracy is Nigeria’s ruling elite who again recently led the country back into the debt trap. Only a few years ago, the country celebrated its freedom from the shackles of international debt but now we are going cap-in-hand for all sorts of debts from institutions abroad to help them execute project that ordinarily could be accomplished with more frugal and intelligent approach.

RECENTLY, at a book launch in Lagos, some politicians, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and a former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu made comments which simply identified certain political actors as the enemies of democracy because they were in the middle of the June 12, 1993 debacle or fiasco. According to them, these were enemies of democracy who are benefitting from a system which they helped to scuttle. Obviously referring to former military head of state, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, who is eyeing the presidency again and the likes of Senate President David Mark, these politicians merely converted the book launch into a political podium to condemn those opponents who they perceived as enemies of democracy.

WHILE it may be apposite to be cautious about the democratic credentials of certain individuals in the country’s political space, it will be simplistic to  point at enemies of democracy only as those who scuttled the June 12 1993 mandate.

WE believe that the issue of enemies of democracy is beyond scuttling the June 12 1993 mandate and that there are more enemies of democracy than those who scuttled the June 12 1993 mandate. The enemies of democracy are, the truth told, anybody in whatever guise or disguise who impede the process of true representation through the legitimate ballot box. The enemies of democracy are people who believe in using ways and means to muzzle the voice of dissent and legitimate opposition including those who scuttled June 12.

NIGERIA’s experience in the past twelve years has been in the main, unsavory and strange to democratic standards all over the world. All kinds of characters whose interests are merely to use political office to feather their nests here emerged as representatives and leaders of different shades, and in the process, the interests of the people have suffered a major setback. One political party, the PDP has become a behemoth and opposition is stifled. Ideas have not been allowed to compete and the people now do not have an alternative. It has even got to a ridiculous level in Nigeria that whoever the PDP fields as its candidate is deemed to be the automatic winner of the elections. Is this democracy?

THE enemies of democracy of course also include thugs, their sponsors and those who sell their votes. They include INEC officials who upturn the people’s votes in favour of candidates who have bribed them; the policemen who turn themselves into uniformed thugs and the lethargic and docile voters who cowardly remain in their homes during elections while these heinous atrocities are being perpetrated. Nigeria is yet to evolve a strong democratic culture and institutions that will uphold the sanctity of the people’s mandate. This is the reason why the country’s development has been stunted and accosted by thieves and hoodlums.

UNTIL these enemies of democracy are dislodged from Nigeria’s political space, the country’s political development will remain an illusion to be pursued but never attainable. Such a step will be in the direction of establishing a formidable democratic tradition in the country.

Comments (1)

Show/hide comments

...
written by Rasheed Abimbola Ahmed, September 10, 2010

Democracy is termed a government of the people, by the people, and for the people but this system of government as it is practised in Nigeria is none of these; it is neither of the people (peoples votes don't count),nor is it by the people (there is no fair representation-one party takes all), and obviously, it cannot be for the people because the gluttons in office are not accountable to anybody except their political godfathers).
The money-denominated politics of Nigeria means the politicians don't rule with the fear of God. If they fear God, they will deal with the people whose welfare is thrusted on them justly. Ethics, morality, trustworthiness and integrity are characteristics that are strangers to the political elites in Nigeria. They care less that pipe borne water, electricity, good road networks, standard educational system, which poor countries like Benin and Togo can afford for their folks are luxuries back home in Nigeria. It is a shame that we have politicians that put the welfare of self ahead of the people they are representing. Nemesis will surely catch up with them sooner than later, God willing.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Show/hide comment form

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment