Today, May 29, Nigerians well perhaps roll out the drums to celebrate another Democracy Day. This time, a significant milestone may have been attained as the nation marks 20 years of uninterrupted democracy, the longest in the nation’s history. Nigerians have bared their minds on the good, the bad, the ugly of the journey so far.
Buhari, APC violated tenets of democracy – PDP
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has accused President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of violating the tenets of democracy since assuming power in 2015, stressing that the Federal Government has trampled on citizens’ rights and should not be associated with democracy under any guise, whatsoever.
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, asked President Muhammadu Buhari not to address Nigerians on the occasion of the 2018 Democracy Day on Tuesday even as it maintains that in the last three years, such addresses had contained deceits, falsifications and unfulfilled promises.
The party noted that Nigerians have become frustrated and despondent by the “magnitude of lies and deception told by the Buhari Presidency and the APC and would prefer to spend the next twelve calendar months contending with such past deceptions than fresh falsifications.
“Indeed, this administration should not come close to the emblem of democracy, as such would be an unpardonable spat on the faces of millions of suppressed Nigerians and the graves of victims of extra-judicial executions under this administration, as catalogued by international bodies including, Transparency International (TI), Amnesty International (AI) and even the United States Department of State.
“Instead of celebrating Democracy, Nigerians are today groaning in regret for electing an administration that has completely turned against them, engaging in clampdown with utmost impunity, setting aside our constitutional provisions and desecrating all democratic established institutions.
“We ask: How can Nigerians celebrate Democracy Day when the rights of citizens are daily trampled and they no longer enjoy their freedom to politically associate and aspire, as was the order under the PDP rule?
“Where is democracy when government tends towards military fiat: where citizens are wantonly arrested, locked up and dehumanised just for expressing political opinions considered to be at variance with views held those in power?
“Where is democracy when opposition members have become endangered species and considered enemies of the state without any just cause; Where dissenting voices are daily harassed, arrested, handcuffed and arraigned on trumped-up charges, just to emasculate opposition?” The PDP queried.
“The PDP also expressed concerns over the alleged siege of the National Assembly, asking “where is democracy when our National Assembly, the very bastion of our democracy, is under siege; where federal lawmakers are daily blackmailed, hounded, harassed, intimidated, detained and dehumanised; where strange elements invade the hallowed chambers of the Senate, threatened our senators and forcefully cart away the mace, yet nobody has been prosecuted?
“Where is democracy when court judges are arrested in the middle of the night by agents of state; top government officials engage in actions and speeches that promote division, hatred and bloodletting; when journalists and media houses are being harassed and intimidated and our nation, in the last three years, ranking among the most hostile to free press?
“Nigerians now look back with nostalgia to the 16 years of the PDP, years when government operated with conscience, where democracy was nurtured and the rights, freedom, happiness and prosperity of all citizens were guaranteed and upheld.
“Above all, the PDP salutes the courage and resilience of Nigerians in the face of despotism, drive towards anarchy and totalitarianism.
“We are collectively strengthened by the fact that this year’s Democracy Day signals the reinvigorating of that democratic march by the citizens to end APC’s misrule and abuse of our rights.
“Nigerians must therefore, use this year’s occasion to reinforce their commitment to rescue our nation by restoring democratic rule on the platform of the repositioned PDP, come 2019,” the PDP admonished.
Democracy is declining in Nigeria – Sam Amadi
Former Chairman of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Sam Amadi told BusinessDay that essentially since 2015 when former President Goodluck Jonathan graciously accepted defeat and handed over power, Democracy has been strengthened in Nigeria in a formal sense because for the first time an incumbent government was removed from power through the electoral process. He further said that in terms of the periodic elections, democracy could be said to be consolidating.
He however said that in the real sense of democracy, such as strong opposition, press freedom, freedom of movement and accountability democracy is not growing.
“In Nigeria Democracy is declining in the sense that insecurity has also created some anxiety that threatens democracy. If you look at intolerance it is growing, we have cases of some bloggers being arrested. We have seen court under siege, court orders not obeyed; we have seen greater militarisation, the use, military and police to suffocate citizens’ voice.
“The values that define democratic governance have not grown and are not growing. Public officers are cynical about the degree of accountability and transparency required,” he lamented.
On the growth of the economy in 20 years, he noted that Democracy has helped Nigeria in terms of economic growth, adding that the period when former President Olusegun Obasanjo presided was when Nigeria had 6 to 7 percent growth for close to a decade.
“That was the golden age of Nigeria in terms of GDP and even per capita because it broadened the middle class and led to the growth of the private sector because of the relative openness. Democracy has allowed for more creativity and innovation in the use of technology,” he said.
He however, lamented that liberal democracy has not created an inclusive society, or equal society. “The Guinea coefficient inequality in Nigeria is very high, so Nigeria within the period had larger economy but a much more unequal and unjust society. So democracy in Nigeria has not come with social justice and has exacerbated it instead,” he said.
Nigeria made progress but Buhari brought recession – Katch Ononuju
Also reacting, an economist and public affairs analyst Katch Ononuju said that Nigeria has made great strides in 20 years of democracy saying “We have achieved a lot of things. We have been able to democratize our economy through privatisation. It is the successes that you are now seeing competition within the economy which catapulted our economy to become the largest in Africa.”
He however blamed President Muhammadu Buhari for the recent recession, which he attributed to President Buhari’s damaging intrusion in the money market. “Historically monetary policy is the exclusive of the Central Bank that of the federal government is fiscal policy but President moved in to undermine monetary policy and because they country is an import dependent economy and the grease of the import is the dollar, the president damaged the economy and we ran into recession.
“Since we became a Republic in 1963 Nigeria has had two recessions and all of them have occurred under President Buhari because of his inability to manage the economy through inclusive policies,” he said.
He advocated restructuring of the federation to do away with the current constitution which he said is a design of the military stressing that restructuring is the solution to rebuild Nigeria which will make her prosper.
Nigeria still in transition- UDP chair
National chairman of the United Democratic Party, UDP, Godson Okoye in his reaction said Nigeria is still in transition from civil rule to democracy arguing that the nation has not arrived at its democratic destination yet. “Democracy does not operate outside its environment. Fundamentally there is deference between democracy and civilian government; we are not in a democracy yet.
“What we have is civilian government and civilian government can be dictatorial. So we are still in transition to democracy. Democratic tenets can only be measured by the attitude of the people. If you have the right attitude democracy thrives. The major problem of Nigeria is our bad attitude to power, to position which is tending to the negative,” he said.
Innocent Odoh, Abuja
