A number of prominent Nigerians, former governors, and former public officials have voiced their concerns about Nigeria’s deteriorating democratic norms, contending that they left much to be desired.
At a colloquium hosted by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to commemorate the 60th birthday of former Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha at the Abuja Intercontinental Hotel, they expressed their concerns.
Former Commonwealth Secretary-General Emeka Anyaoku, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, and immediately former Katsina Governor Aminu Masari were also there.
In his “Is Democracy Failing in Africa?” keynote speech Matthew Kukah, the Catholic bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, bemoaned the fact that it appeared like Nigeria’s democracy only benefited a select few.
Additionally, the priest pointed out that this sentiment had generated a discussion about the Nigerian Constitution’s appropriateness, which had continuously placed pressure on the courts.
He said, “We as Africans inherited a system that is not ours, but we can’t say it is not relevant to us. There are differences between democracy in Asia and that of Africa. I feel sorry for judges. At the last election, even small me, I had people calling me, complaining, talk to this, talk to that.
“There was pressure on judges to deliver justice. I agree that there’s an urgent need to clean up the mess. Democracy is about everything, and it’s about justice. Democracy and its principles are endless contestations. There are certain things God has given us which people can’t control.”
Kukah advised politicians to take a cue from Obasanjo and Atiku’s cat-and-mouse relation, which he said also contributed to the strengthening of democracy.
“The relationship between Obasanjo and Atiku is like a Catholic marriage. You will quarrel without breaking up. No constitution will be better than the Bible and Koran. Yet, we are still living in sin. The weaponisation of religion is a big problem in Nigeria.
“Democracy is a work in progress. God doesn’t discriminate against either Christian or Muslim prayers. If we are not treating each other rightly, one must be a bastard.”
Obi, however, took fault at Kukah’s claim that Nigeria’s democracy was still developing.
He claims that since 1999, a number of progressive politicians have worked to elevate the nation’s democracy to an admirable level.
“They started in 1999, and laid the foundation. Some people came and took it to the decking while others were trying to raise it to the first floor. And then, some people came and knocked everything down.
“That is the situation we are in now. Everything has been knocked down. Nothing works. I am somebody who can say this exemplarily. I became a governor through the court when President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar were in government.
“I did not pay the court one naira. I was sitting in my office and the court declared me the winner when the governor was hosting them. It can’t happen in Nigeria today,” he bemoaned.
In order to demonstrate how far the nation had fallen, Obi remembered the events of his impeachment as governor of Anambra and expressed amazement at the emissaries dispatched by former President Obasanjo to act on his behalf.
Former Senate President Ken Nnamani, among others, came begging the state House of Assembly members not to impeach him, the former LP presidential candidate said.
He said, “Today, the President will impeach the person. So, it has collapsed and failed. These people were begging the House of Assembly not to impeach me. They were in PDP and I was in APGA. President Obasanjo was calling me, asking ‘Peter, are you okay?’ Even when I was impeached, Obasanjo called me and said ‘Are you safe?’
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“When the court eventually declared me winner, President Yar’ Adua called me while I was in London and said, ‘congratulations.’ I said, ‘Mr President, I can’t come back. He said, ‘tell me the flight you are coming back with.’ I told him. When I came back, the military came to receive me at the airport. I couldn’t believe it.
“They took me straight to him (Yar’ Adua). Now, the President would ask me not to come back here again. So, democracy has failed. Let’s talk about how to rebuild it because it is collapsing.”
On his part, Obasanjo emphasised what Africa was practising today was a mere reflection of ‘representative democracy.’
“Abraham Lincoln describes it as a government of the people, by the people and for the people. But what do we have today? The Greek democracy affects everyone. Democracy has now become representative democracy and it hasn’t taken care of everyone.
“Democracy in Africa has failed because it’s not African, it didn’t have our culture and way of lives. You will say, ‘go to court’ when you know that you can’t get justice. Democracy is dying in Africa and to save it, it should be made in the context of Africa,” Obasanjo said.
Also, Atiku Abubakar outlined the cost numerous leaders had to pay to realise democratic government while speaking at the occasion.
“In my case, I ran into exile because Abacha was very hostile,” he said.
Nonetheless, the former vice president commended Ihedioha for his loyalty in spite of his affiliation with a rival political party.
“Emeka and I have kept this relationship and till today I have found him extremely loyal, dedicated and focused even though sometimes we found ourselves on different political divides but we kept our relationship and I think that testifies with the kind of person Emeka is,” he said.
As long as everyone is prepared to do their responsibilities, Aminu Tambuwal, the former governor of Sokoto State, believed Nigerians can make democracy flourish.
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An angry Tambuwal blasted the National Assembly for approving the recent state of emergency that President Bola Tinubu had unlawfully imposed on Rivers State.
He said, “Democracy will work if the actors play by the rules. It’s a work in progress. Under OBJ (Obasanjo), state of emergency was declared. The NASS worked together to ensure that the 2/3 majority passed the emergency. Each member had to vote.
“In this same NASS we have same constitution. What happened in the last one? We need to chase out the bad operators in democracy.”
However, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, the former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, stated that Nigeria must amend the 1999 Constitution to solve the numerous issues that plague its structure.
He asserts that the nation cannot afford to lose its prestigious stand in the global world.
“As Commonwealth Secretary-General, I helped members to transit to multi-party democracy. We need a new constitution to address many challenges. True federalism is the answer to the management of national issues. The recent coups in Mali and Niger tend to take us back.
“The nature of our politics and the conduct of our politicians is another problem of our democracy. They have become instruments for capturing political power. It’s only true, stable democratic governance that can rid our country of the crises which impede development.
“I believe that Nigeria can change this Eurocentric narrative. We in Africa and Nigeria have a responsibility to get a stable democracy and change the Eurocentric narrative,” he stated.
On the other hand, Tajudeen Abbas, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, disagrees.
Abbas underlined that Nigeria was making steady progress even though he acknowledged the country faces many obstacles.
He said, “For me, it depends on what we make of democracy in Africa. Only by understanding that, and deeply reflecting on it, can we be in a position to say if democracy has added value to development and growth in the continent or not.
“For me and the 10th House of Representatives, democracy has come to stay in Africa and indeed Nigeria. It is a process which over the past two decades has crystalised into an acceptable model of leadership and it is being consolidated in our nation. Nigeria is making steady progress despite varying challenges characteristic of a developing nation.
“One of the basic features of democracy is the periodic conduct of elections to choose leaders. This is the essence of democracy.”
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