Another missing link in our democratic experience is that governance is not translating to improvement in the material wellbeing for many Nigerians.
The people or Nigerians are cut off or alienated from the governance process. They are intentionally prevented from actively participating in the governance process through deliberate policies and laws made by the executive and judiciary.
Dr. Jude A. Momodu is Public commentator and an Associate Professor of Peace and Security Studies at the Centre for Peace and Security Studies, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola – Adamawa State.
On this interview with Adamawa state correspondent of TGNEWS in Yola, TOM GARBA,Jude exposed the weaknesses and gains achieved of Democracy for the past 20 years.
In counting the gains and the losses on Nigeria return to civil rule,Momodu unraveled that steady transition into power from 1999 to date is a chiefly mark of progress. He however perturbed with the way and manner democracy tenets has been bastardized and Balkanize by some political class and elites who constitutes themselves into political Demagogues of the nation.
Read the whole scenario that played out of the country’s journey to nationhood by Dr Jude excerpts from the interview are nuggets to remain you where we are going as a nation.
Q:How would you count the gains and losses in 20 years of Nigeria’s return to civil rule and why?
Response: Nigeria’s return to democracy on May 29th 1999, after a long military interregnum ushered in an atmosphere of freedom and the hope that that Nigeria will be great again and the rights and freedoms of Nigerians that were trampled upon under the 34 years military dictatorship will be respected under a democratically elected government. Some visible gains have been made in the 20 years of Nigeria’s return to democracy. Chiefly among the gains is that since the beginning of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic on May 29, 1999, democratic transition has occurred seamlessly for six times, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 respectively. This is an extra 0rdinary achievement for the country. Also, in area of infrastructural development, the country has improved with the aviation and railway sectors revived. The political space has also been liberalized with Nigerians having more political freedom to participate in the process of governance as well as expressing their views within the limit of the law. However, the hope and aspirations of Nigerians in the Fourth Republic are increasingly becoming dashed due to factors such as: political corruption, financial corruption, electoral violence, retarded infrastructural development, impunity and disregard to the rule of law, massive unemployment and high incidence of poverty among other social, economic and political deficits that the Nigerian state is grappling with.
Q:In specific terms, are there certain missing links in democratic practice in Nigeria you find as stubborn growths and why so?
Response: Yes, there are. For instance:
Nigeria has had six (6) seamless democratic transition from 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 respectively. In spite of this, politicians and electorates are yet to imbibe the right democratic ideals that are necessary for deepening or consolidating democracy. Such ideals include: freedom of choice, respect for the rule of law, tolerance, accommodation, delivering the dividends of democracy to Nigerians- job employment, improved infrastructure, good healthcare and qualitative education among others. The very fact that we have had 6 periods of democratic transition does not translate to success in our democracy.
Another missing link in our democratic experience is that governance is not translating to improvement in the material wellbeing for many Nigerians.
The people or Nigerians are cut off or alienated from the governance process. They are intentionally prevented from actively participating in the governance process through deliberate policies and laws made by the executive and judiciary.
Q:Have the authorities at different times taken serious measures to create or nurture institutions that grow and deepen democracy in Nigeria and how do you mean sir?
Response: Yes some have made attempts. In 1999/2000 President Olusegun Obasanjo championed the ireview of the electoral laws and In 2007, newly elected President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua accepted that the election that made him the President was marred by fraud and massive violence. He therefore, promised to reform the electoral process. He therefore set up the Justice Muhammed Uwais Committee t reform the electoral Act. After his demise, President Goodluck Ebelle Jonathan’s administration upheld the Uwais report and the National Assembly passed it into the Electoral Act. This bold step introduced some sanity into Nigeria’s electoral process.
Q:Do you believe this country is doing well in critical areas like economy, electoral reforms, fight against corruption and adherence to the rule of law? Kindly expatiate on what you think should be the best approach if we must get out of the current quagmire?
Response: To be candid, I do not think that we have made tangible and the desired progress in areas of economy, electoral reform, fight against corruption and adherence to the rule of law. We have a government that does not respect the rule of law and on many occasions the government has disobeyed court orders. Corruption is still being perpetuated in the high places and in the inner circles of government.
Elections have become ‘electoral wars’ marked by generalised violence. Insecurity of different scale and sizes are proliferating across the nation.
Notwithstanding, however, we are not doing badly in the fight against corruption. So far, 4 former Governors have been jailed by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. They are: Reverend Jolly Nyame, Joshua Dariye, Balla Ngilari and recently, Orji Uzo Lallu. Although, the fight against corruption appears to be one=sided against the opposition and perceived enemies of the government of the day. As a result, government has been criticized for cherry-picking from the opposition camp.
Q:What needs to be done?
The federal and states government needs to demonstrate the political will to address the numerous challenges besieging the country. First, the government must pursue to a logical conclusion the electoral reform with a view to tackling the inherent weaknesses in the current Electoral Act and the electoral process. The federal government needs to add more vigor to the fight against corruption by given the anticorruption agencies the necessary funding and moral support to arrest and prosecute those considered untouchable in the ruling party as well as the opposition party. On the economic front, the federal and states government to come up with very innovative policies that will help to rejig the economy and create jobs for our teaming youths. Government must also respect and obey the rule of laws.
Q:How would you analyze the character of the Nigerian economic and political elite, who have kept the country prostrate despite their exposure to what responsible, responsive and purposeful leadership in the developed nations can achieve?
Response: The economy is in a bad shape. There is deficit of strategic thinking at the highest level of policy making in our economy sector. The economy is in the hands of corrupt politicians and the economic policies are made by the same class of people who have vested interests in the economy. The government should appoint the right persons with the requisite expertise as Minister of Finance, Economic planning and at the Central Bank. The economy also needs to be deregulated.
Q: Is it not a collective guilt since the majority of the electorates are ever ready to compromise on election days?
Response: Well you may say that, with the type of politics we play in Nigeria, the electorates have been programmed to compromise with the elites. You must understand that everything begins and ends with leadership. When the leadership is right then the followership will also be right. However, we need a proactive civil society to sensitize the citizens about their rights and responsibilities and hold their leaders accountable.
Q:What is the future of the country in the light of the rising frightening challenges and the obvious lethargy of most Nigerians and why?
Response: Government must continue to create platforms for dialogue among the various interest groups. I also think that it is time for us as a country to agree to restructure our country and government, politically and economically.
The present structure can no longer sustain the country. Our population is growing and more and more people are being trapped in the poverty and unemployment net. Government must also demonstrate the necessary political will to frontally address the increasing challenges facing the country.
