HAPPY DEMOCRACY DAY!



President Goodluck Jonathan

Nigerians today mark the 14th Democracy Day, commemorating the formal end to military rule in the country and the enthronement of civil rule on May 29th 1999.

Without doubt, government and party officials will reel out lists of they will say are their achievements since they took office. It is in the nature of politicians to indulge themselves in such chest-thumping, even self-glorification; whether their performance records support them is entirely a different ballgame. It would be truer to declare that celebrations are in order only because this tottering democracy has not collapsed, so far.

Reflections on this day should note, but not necessarily dwell on, the examination of what has transpired in the fourteen years since 1999. A more critical look at how the Nigerian situation has evolved since the last Democracy Day in 2012 would therefore be the proper way to go. How far have Nigerians imbibed the democratic culture can easily be gleaned from the various elections the country has conducted since 1999, almost all of them ending in acrimony. The political leadership, whether out of a feeling of insecurity have failed, or are afraid, to build strong and stable institutions that are required for democracy to take root and flourish. The civil police are underfunded and at the beck and call of political masters; the judiciary is compromised because many of its senior officers are mired in one form of malfeasance or another.

The political parties, the very critical elements in the socialisation process towards the ideals of democracy, are themselves, particularly the ruling parties, purveyors and distillers of undemocratic behaviours.

Apart from the much-ridiculed Vision 20:2020 document, there is no realistic blueprint to attain economic growth (which is sluggish), broaden educational opportunities (severely limited), ensure food security (nonexistent), fight unemployment (high numbers) and ensure security of lives (a huge challenge). The economy continues to suffer many leakages, including outright looting of the treasury, oil thefts that the government has so far shown little inclination to stem, and underachievement in budget implementation. Indeed, even the 2103 budget, submitted with so much fanfare last year and touted as the beginning of early financial preparation, is back to the National Assembly, the subject of a dispute between the Presidency and the legislature with no immediate signs of being resolved.

The quality of governance that Nigerians expected from democracy has not materialised; it is deteriorating in the current dispensation. Inept leadership has exacerbated ethnic cleavages, religious intolerance, and encouraged greed and massive acquisition of wealth at the expense of the state. Where is the democracy, when the ideals of equality of citizens, their freedom to associate with each another, freedom to choose the political platform of their choice, and ability to change policies, that it envisages, are not protected?

The principle of the separation of powers in a democracy is under threat. Local government administration has been emasculated. State governments routinely and with impunity seize funds that are due to the third tier, or simply appoint cronies to run them. Many bills approved by the legislature, whether at state of national level, are often ignored.

Democracy in practice is not only about elections; it Implies equality of opportunity, equality of reward and consequence, and equality before the law; there's not much to cheer in all. The political leaders' concept of equality of reward is perhaps best illustrated by legislators voting themselves fantastic salaries and allowances; the executive spending huge sums of money on frivolous and unproductive projects, while the 18,000 naira national minimum wage for workers has not gained universal application.

The judiciary has some way to go to rid itself of the bad elements within its rank that have threatened to soil the so-called last resort of the common man. If there are any lessons in all these, one of them is that the government must reset its priorities, and address the issues that mostly affect the nation.


 
Credits: allAfrica.com