One Nigeria: Are we compatible?- Professor Ben Nwabueze; Vanguard, January 20, 2018.
We have written a lot about the need for inclusive democracy in Nigeria. In ethnic diverse society like Nigeria, inclusiveness is very important for the success of democracy. This requires a good leadership. However, the little gains made so far in the country's democratic journey is being eroded with Autocracy. Repression is now very high. There is huge decline in 'civil and political rights', now threatening individual freedom, security, unity and the prosperity of the country.
Read More: http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/2018/01/nigeria-democracy-and-its-crisis-new.html
According to Senator Shehu Sani, the Senator representing Kaduna State, Nigeria, writing on his facebook page: "There are people still kept in detention against a valid court order to release them, security reasons are used as excuses. There are people arrested for their opinions; security reasons are used as excuses; there are states where even protests and rallies are banned; security reasons are used as excuses. Excuses used by democratic governments are same as excuses used by dictatorial regimes". He also mentioned the brutal killing of an activist, labour leader and chairman of NASU , Kogi State, Abdulmuminu Yakubu. A State legislator was recently kidnapped and brutally murdered in Taraba State for speaking out against the herdsmen., etc.
Today, Minority rights is also restricted, and various ethnic minority groups seem to have lost trust in the federal government accusing the leadership of being partisan especially in the handling of the increasing atrocities of the Fulani-herdsmen in the country described as the world's fourth deadly terror group .
Recently the South-East Nigeria leaders accused the federal government of taking sides with the 'marauding killers' and encouraging them by not taking adequate actions to deal with their atrocities in various communities across the nation, rather the President is pressing the state governors to donate land to the herdsmen in their various states, using different grazing policies even when it's proven that the borders with the herdsmen is always bloody.
The South-East Nigeria leaders said they are shocked a government that was in a hurry to call a non-violent civil society group, the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), a terrorist group has not done likewise with the herdsmen who sack towns and are killing people on a daily basis.
According to the leaders, "The way that the Federal Government is handling this matter falls short of explanation. It looks like the beginning of something that has been planned for a long time. Government's seeming silence is suspicious. The way something like this happened and nobody is taking responsibility leaves one wondering whether we have a government. These herdsmen use guns to sack villages and destroy farmlands. They sack towns and are killing people on a daily basis, yet the government has not called them terrorists. But they were in a hurry to call the IPOB a terrorist group even when they have no weapons and have not killed anybody before. On top of that, we have a bill on grazing reserves and cattle colony. Where on earth do we have that kind of thing in the 21st century? Cattle rearing should not be in the wilderness"-Chief Dozie Ikedife; Former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo ...
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We are shocked government has not organised anything similar to Operation Python Dance and Operation Crocodile Smile to check herdsmen killing citizens in their homes". [Buhari Partisan Over Herdsmen Killings, Say South East Leaders; Guardian Nigeria , 21 January 2018].
We have just highlighted these as part of our research on 'Democracy and It's Crisis', to encourage the urgent need to speak out for democracy in Nigeria. Lending our voices to the important debate about the future is one sure way to defeat tyranny.
Wherever you are, use your positions or platforms to speak out for freedom and human security. Whenever democracy is in peril, ordinary people suffer most. Now is the time to think different! .
I visit Senator Shehu Sani's Facebook page a lot. In one of his posts, he concluded that "where public opinion does not count in the conduct of the affairs of government, a tyranny is established. Where court orders are flagrantly disobeyed for political or economic exigencies, an autocracy is founded".
Some Governors of the ruling party (APC), especially the Northern states Governors have endorsed the President for re-election, however there seems to be a big crack in the party given the body language of the South-West Governors and their political leaders who strongly favoured the restructuring of the country for better development. They have been conspicously absent in a recent dinner party hosted by the president and a recent endorsement campaign rally in their territory.
The Governor of Rivers State who is a leading opposition party voice, (PDP), has cautioned against voting for the ruling party come 2019 elections. According to him: the ruling party has been dead since 2015, so ''supporting the ruling party to continue it's rule come 2019 would be tantamount to digging the nation's grave''. [Wike Warns Against Voting For APC in 2019. Vanguard, January 19, 2018].
The Independent National Electoral Commission has disclosed that about 74 million people have registered to vote with the figures projected to hit between 80 and 85 million by 2019. The commission has also assured Nigerians that there votes will count in 2019 elections. This sounds very doubtful given the level of insecurity and violence, witnessed recently in some local government elections in some states.
Autocracy is detrimental to economic development especially in ethnic diverse societies. Governments should do more to build inclusive society that drives 21st century democracy.
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We are seeking to find out why democracy is failing in Nigeria and what can be done about it . Kindly leave comments to help improve our work.
Uche Okeke.
What is democracy? Why is it not working for Nigeria?
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