//-Democracy in Nigeria: The Blinking Future-//

Nigeria has recently celebrated her 10 years of democratic rule. What is still fresh in our memory are the reactions that trailed the celebration. While most people believe democracy has not made any significant impact in the lives of the Nigerian people, who breathed a sigh of relief in 1999 when the military juntas were eventually pushed out of the political governance, we witnessed sound of music and laughter in government houses across the country and the Aso Rock villa. Let alone these few politicians whose reason for celebration is because they have successfully enriched themselves, the rest of the national household was in deep mourning, or at best, bemused and wondering where the music was coming and the reason for it; because to most Nigerians, there was no justification for any form of celebration. Nigerians have seen the colour of democracy elsewhere, in distant lands and in their immediate neighbourhood and compared it with our own version. Elsewhere, democracy maintains its true meaning as defined by Abraham Lincoln; foremost American President as government of the people, by the people and for the people. We saw the colour of democracy in the recent election in America, the beauty of a process, which end product, was in itself not only wonderful to the eyes but a soothing balm to the soul; a process that produced an African–American as the most powerful man in the world in an open, credible and believable manner. We have seen the colour of democracy in Sierra Leone, the war torn African country and Ghana, a neighbouring country. In these countries, the process of democracy and elections were people-driven, where every vote was counted in the emergence of their leaders. Policies of their governments flow from the wishes of the people and not the desires of government officials.

Unarguably, there is freedom of expression now and accountability in governance is becoming a legitimate demand on the part of the governed. The courage to demand accountability by the people has become more pronounced during these democratic years than we had in the military era. What else can we show as dividends of our ten years of democracy in Nigeria? This is the question we need to ask ourselves as Nigerians keep suffering in the midst of abundance. The economy of the country is in shamble as our industries and manufacturing companies now move out of the country to establish in other countries because of epileptic power supply. Most children born about ten years ago only know and see generating plants as major source of electricity supply. The country is rated as one of the high ranking corrupt countries in the world. The cankerworm that has eaten very deep into the economy and virtually affected every area of our development is corruption. Our election process has received condemnation internationally. All efforts to introduce transparency and openness in the process of elections have always hit the block. There is always intimidation of voters, fire raising, thuggery, harassment of journalists, snatching of ballot boxes, rigging, manipulation of votes and all sorts of electoral frauds. Our nation’s infrastructure are decaying and collapsing; NITEL and railways are becoming things of the past, Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN is collapsing, we record motor accidents daily across the country where people lose their lives and leaving many people seriously injured because of bad roads, education, housing and other social services are not receiving adequate attention from the government, killing and kidnapping in the Niger Delta region which is now being extended to other parts of the country have been ongoing for so many years without solution, there is injustice in the land, perpetrators of money laundering and currency diversion go unpunished, embezzlement is the order of the day, citizens are not secured and human rights violations are still being openly and secretly carried out. These are some of our prides as Nigeria celebrated her 10 years anniversary of democracy.

Fortune smiled on former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the 29th of May, 1999 when he was sworn in as President of the country after a close appointment with death for his alleged involvement in a coup. It was a new dawn and a great opportunity for the nation to make a statement. It was when Obasanjo told Nigerians that he decided to serve Nigeria again as a civilian President to enable him restore the legacies he left behind in October 1979 when he handed over power to the Shagari administration. Such legacies according to him included, a healthy economy with robust reserve in which the naira exchanged for two dollars, an independent and courageous judiciary, as well as a nation which commanded international respect, a democratic structure, a nation in which every citizen had a hope and chance of self fulfilment.

According to the former President, “The richness of the democratic dispensation before us in 1999 is a golden opportunity which must not be squandered. It is a chance for rebirth, a chance to rekindle the transformation of our country into a land of opportunity and justice for all. “It is an opportunity to create an enabling environment to actualize the vast potentials which nature and providence had endowed us because only in a climate of peace, security, justice and equity can the creative energy of our citizens be optimally employed in positive pursuits that can benefit the society at large. We must seize the historic windows of opportunity. We must not let victory allude us because we may never be this lucky”. These were his words during his inauguration which were as interesting, revitalizing and soul enlivening like the inaugural speech of Barrack Obama, President of the United States of America. Just as the economy of the United States was in a verge of decay before Obama was elected, every American is now breathing a sigh of relief because the young, determined African-American President has been living up to expectation. Not up to a year, as President of the United States, the hope of the Americans has been rekindled and aspirations met. It is directly opposite to the 8 years of undemocratic rule of President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria which most people has described as a share waste of time and resources. Despite his soothing words, experience as former President, age, former political prisoner who was supposed to be a round peg in a round hole at that critical situation in the country that needed someone to bring the agony of its citizens to an end, it is obvious that the much expected dividends of democracy that the Nigerian people expected were not delivered. The political class instead of delivering good governance has been destroying the system.

Though on the 29 may, 2009, Nigeria celebrated her ten years of democracy, which Nigerians have unanimously condemned because the true democratic rule is not practised, our political and electioneering processes are marred by so many anomalies ranging from snatching and stuffing of ballot boxes, political killing, use of thugs and hooligans to harass political opponents, porous electoral acts and more. It is very glaring that there is insincerity in the side of those in the authority to provide a level playing ground for people to participate in politics. Those in government use the police and other enforcement agencies to threaten opponents, forgery of educational qualifications, and other diabolical means in an attempt to get to power at all cost. The crisis in Anambra by Chris Ngige and Peter Obi and the Ladoja and Alao Akala brouhaha in Oyo State are good examples. Shrines are allegedly found in houses of political leaders such as in cases of Okija shrine involving Chris Ngige and Chris Uba of Anambra state, Orji Uzor Kalu and T.A. Orji both former and present Governors of Abia State, the recent case of Gbenga Daniel, Executive Governor of Ogun State and members of the state House of Assembly. This is in an attempt to get to power.

We have witnessed a lot of governorship elections being overturned by law courts, and fresh elections were re-conducted such as in Kogi, Cross River, Sokoto and Ekiti states. The Ekiti rerun election raised a lot of questions to actually ascertain whether INEC can hold a credible election in Anambra in 2010 and the general elections coming up in 2011.

The elections that were conducted in 1999 and 2003 that brought Obasanjo as President were nationally and internationally condemned. The election that ushered in President Musa Yar’adua in 2007 was as condemnable as the ones that brought Obasanjo into office in the two terms. The difference between the elections is that President Yar’adua was quick to admit that the election that brought him into office was fraudulent, and he promised to rectify the system while Nigerians should be expecting tears from the statute rather than expecting the former President to accept such fact even when it was so glaring and condemned internationally. Most of the countries in the world today have embraced democratic rule in which freedom of their citizens is guaranteed, the basic social amenities are provided and they witness vibrant economic and sustainable growth that transform into economic development, employment generation, housing for all, healthcare delivery, security of lives and property, well equipped police, qualitative education, vibrant civil service, proper plan for retirees and good reward for those who serve the country in different capacities. All these are features of democracy in most countries of the world, which are conspicuously missing in the ten years of democratic rule in Nigeria. Despite the abundant natural and human resources in the country, it has suffered a lot of setbacks that have led to destruction of lives and properties, simply because the leadership has failed to follow the rules of the game. Uncivilised politicking is the order of the day. People have always imposed themselves on the electorates, so they employ different means other than the normal rules to get political offices.

The INEC which would have been a driving force towards a positive attitudinal change in our electoral process has remained a bad influence. The commission under Professor Maurice Iwu has come under strong criticism for not being a fair umpire. Iwu has been accused of being an umpire that takes side in the game of electioneering, and as such, all the elections held under him have been condemned for lack of credibility. The Ekiti election rerun would have been an opportunity and served as the right premise for the government to launder the image of the nation through her current rebranding project anchored by the Hon. Minister of Information, Professor Dora Akunyili to send a positive message to Nigerians and international community that the nation is determined to reform her electoral system. Unfortunately, the show of shame in the rerun election conducted by Maurice Iwu and directly supervised by the federal government under the auspices of the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mrs Ayoka Adebayo has sent a wrong signal to all and sundry that the nation is still not ready to make a positive change more importantly in the well publicized electoral reform and the Seven Point Agenda of President Musa Yar’adua. Though, for attaining the longest uninterrupted number of years of democracy in the country, some people have reasons for its celebration while most people have contrary opinion saying what we have in the country is mere civil rule and not democracy. They insist that countries where democratic rules and principles are not observed and followed are not practising genuine democracy.

Many people expected that swearing in of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the first democratically elected President in the fourth Republic was to herald a new beginning that would bring about change in the country, but it was a dash of hope. Nigerians lament there are no tangible changes in the landscape. Elections are not yet free and fair. The leadership holds the people in contempt and the dividends of democracy are bare. To former Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, a decade is a long time, but when Nigerians assess how they have faired, there would be disagreement. "You don't expect persons who made some billions from the system to accept that we have faired poorly. How did they make the billions? From the weaknesses and defects of the system," he said. Ezeife reasoned that the problem is the lack of compass for national progress, and Nigeria has been sliding backwards. His view tallies with that of Nigerians United for Democracy (NUD) National Chairman, Tunji Braithwaite, who lamented that election, are getting progressively worse. He made the rather alarming conclusion that Nigeria is "the worst country on earth." Former House of Representatives member, Usman Bugaje, also recalled that at the return to civil rule in 1999, the hopes and expectations were very high. There were a lot of expectations that elected leaders would be held to account. "You must recall the enthusiasm of the people," began Bugaje. "In fact, the voters’ turnout in the 1999 elections itself says clearly how much Nigerians were excited with democracy. We had the largest turnout since we started democracy (in 1960). "Some of the figures were put about 70 to 75 per cent of registered voters in some places. It was very impressive. People were expectant. "But then, by 2003 the voters’ turnout went down to about 30 to 35 per cent, barely 50 per cent of registered voters. That tells you how much faith people lost in democracy within the first term. "In the following year, if you recall when we had local government election in 2004, the voters’ turn out went down to about 10 percent.”That itself reflects the problem because voters’ apathy is an indication of loss of faith in democracy itself." Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) National Chairman, Balarabe Musa, moaned that the backwardness of Nigeria is disgraceful. Everything about the state of the nation during these past 10 years has been negative; he stressed, particularly, the accountability and probity of the government. Said he: "We have not made any progress during these 10 years. In fact, things have gone worse and negative. But the worst part is the disturbing level of corruption, stealing, and waste of public funds. "The government, in spite of the anti-corruption agencies, has not been able to do anything about it. In fact, those responsible for corruption are getting away with everything. Nobody can even investigate some of them." Former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, insisted that democracy at 10 in Nigeria does not call for celebration. Maxi Okwu, the National Chairman of Citizens Popular Party (CPP) agreed with those who say that what is in place is civil rule, not democracy. Okwu added, however, that 10 years of civil rule is worth celebrating, since it is the first time since independence that civilians could hold on to power for a decade without military intervention. Former Information Minister, Edwin Clark, expressed concern over the lack of improvement in infrastructure since 1999, especially in the Niger Delta, where "the people are a neglected people by successive governments, including that of Yar'Adua." "The government has not done anything for them. We are talking about suffering for about 50 years. I am not talking of one government of two years." But others - among them former Bayelsa Military Administrator, Paul Obi, and former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Abel Guobaidia - enthused that democracy in Nigeria is a process that could mature with time. Obi counselled that "we are going through a learning curve. We are learning. Ten years might look very long in the life of a nation. But you realise that in other democracies like America, 10 years is not very long. "One of the things I can say, especially in the last election, is that our judicial system has given a lot of hope to us. If that is one area we can look at, I think we are moving forward. "We should learn to be more tolerant and give encouragement to the nation. We are going through a learning process, and I think we should give it some time for things to take shape." In any case, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rejoiced with Nigerians for achieving 10 years of democratic rule, and praised Yar'Adua and lawmakers for providing "quality leadership," especially in the past two years. Senate President, David Mark, took stock of 10 years of uninterrupted democracy and submitted that Nigerians have accepted it as a way of life. A statement issued by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ahmed Alkali, appealed to Nigerians to continue to support and pray for the country to realise its dream of becoming a leading economy in 2020. "We urge all Nigerians, irrespective of party affiliation, to support the government, especially its genuine efforts and commitment to reform our electoral system," he said.

Hear Aminu Bello Masari, former Speaker of House of Representatives, a man who should have reasons for blaming or praising Obasanjo. "In Nigeria what we actually have are institutional godfathers because when government becomes a godfather, which is institutional godfatherism. For me, I don't hold much personal grudge against him but I have a grudge against him as a Nigerian. He had a golden opportunity of turning Nigeria around and he wasted it. Look, people are not so concerned about how many bridges and roads government builds or the number of hospitals he built. If he had established a system, the system will produce all that. If Obasanjo had left Nigeria a legacy of a credible system which puts credible people in government at all levels, that system would make it possible for all things to happen because then elected and appointed people would be accountable to the electorates”. "But in the manner he left, there is no accountability to the electorates. If I know you did not elect me and I am sure that I can manipulate myself back to office without you, why should I feel accountable to you? For that, I hold a strong grudge against Obasanjo and every reasonable Nigerian should hold that grudge. So he had a golden opportunity and wasted it."

That captures the essence of why Nigerians were not rolling out drums to celebrate the 10 years of democracy. The nation has gotten it wrong. The world knows today that even if Obasanjo's successor, Umaru Yar'Adua was not sacked by the Supreme Court, as many had prayed, he is still not the President of many in the court of public opinion, not only due to the drama in the general election, but in the PDP primary that threw him up.

Perhaps, the only celebration Nigerians could have afforded as they were hearing sounds of drumming in the household of the President, Governors, members of assemblies of states and federal, was that of the martial music which is not sounding yet. Beyond that, it cannot be anything but sadness.

Frantically speaking, I do not think any meaningful Nigerian except those who are in government creating wealth for themselves will accept the present situation in the country as a way of life, as said by the Senate President, Senator David Mark.

Surprisingly, the same few people who are singing praises of the government and its undemocratic rule in the country will turn around to condemn same government and the system after they must have left the office. This is saying emphatically that so many things are wrong with the government and more importantly the system we operate.

Indeed, the nation moved, but not forward. It moved in the opposite direction. For failing to kill the monster at birth, Nigeria saw a regime that reduced governance to personal business; that thrived on bad example and laid a bad precedent in the country; where the will of the godfathers, or the cabals represent the people; where elections were just mere drama that count for nothing.

According to Barack Obama in his speech to the Ghanaian Parliament in Accra, July 11, 2009, ‘No business (man) wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top or the head of the Port Authority is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy, that is tyranny, even if occasionally you sprinkle an election in there. And now is the time for that style of governance to end’ ...’we saw it in Zimbabwe, where the Election Support Network braved brutal repression to stand up for the principle that a person’s vote is his or her sacred right. Make no mistake: History is on the side of those brave Africans, not with those who use coups or change constitutions to stay in power. Africa does not need strong men, it needs strong institutions’...Africa’s future is up to Africans’. “Governments that respect the will of the people, which govern by consent and not coercion, are more prosperous... more stable and more successful than governments that do not”. Those were words of the most powerful African-American President of the United States of America calling African governments most especially those who are still not practising true democracy to order.

The fact is that not many Nigerians would have expected what they are seeing in the country today is for real especially since the same party has been in power since 1999. How does one explain it that this is the best the PDP could offer Nigerians after all the promises made by Obasanjo at his colorful swearing in ceremony at the Eagles Square in Abuja on May 29, 1999, as well as the ray of hope that was given at the inception of Yar'Adua when many people believed that with the focused reformist as a leader, there would be series of development with human face which would lead to good governance.

The general consensus is that for any future possibility to be genuine the issue of free and fair election, Independent Judiciary, rule of law, true separation of powers, ideologically oriented political parties, freedom of press among other democratic creeds must be adhered to bearing in mind the great potentials that abound.

I am very optimistic; the country will still be governed by selfless set of people who will restore its past glory. My dream for the country is having a nation where its leaders will neither be imposed nor selected but be democratically elected as we have seen in other countries where dividends of democracy are being delivered and wishes of the people form the policies of their governments. I dream of a country where the sitting Governor is not being abducted and subsequent destruction and looting of public properties as witnessed in the case of Chris Ngige of Anambra State. I dream of a nation where government embrace dialogue and not giving order for destruction of communities such as we have experienced in the case of Odi and Zaki Biam. I dream of a country where there will be peace and harmony in all the states and there will be no need imposing State of Emergency as witnessed in Plateau and Ekiti states. I dream of a country where someone like Tafa Balogun, former Inspector General of Police who was publicly disgraced, prosecuted and sentenced (imprisonment) for misappropriation of public funds will no longer be in the helm of affairs of the force. I dream of a country where elected Governors will not be caught in the web for money laundering such as we witnessed in the case of James Ibori of Delta, Joshua Dariye of Plateau, Lucky Igbinedon of Edo, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti, Diepreye Alameyisigha of Bayelsa and others. I dream of a country where someone like Salisu Buhari, who was discovered to have forged his certificates, is not being elected as representative of the people at the National Assembly. I dream of a country where people like Honourable Ndudi Elumelu and Senator Nicholas Ugbane who were involved in the 6.2 billion naira Rural Electrification Agency contract scam are not being elected as representatives of the people. I dream of a country where due process and rule of law will be the order of the day wherein just 6 members out of a 24 member house of Assembly will not carry out impeachment process and successfully impeach a Governor such as we witnessed in the case of Joshua Dariye of Plateau State. I dream of a country where the citizens will not witness totally awful debasement of governance in the fight between their leaders as witnessed in the case of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. I dream of a country where in the nation is not being taken through psychological torture of a third term plot which is against the law of the land as witnessed in the case of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. God help Nigeria.