Nigeria’s democracy is at a crossroads, according to Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, who also emphasized that coalition building and an outright merger are essential to overthrowing the incumbent All Progressives Congress.
Atiku said that state capture makes democratic transformation all but impossible during his remarks as a discussant at the National Conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria in Abuja on Monday.
“There is no question that our democracy is at a crossroads,” he stated. In other words, it is in danger of totally deteriorating. Furthermore, no one administration nor one individual is to blame. Indeed, several of us have warned throughout the years that if we get complacent and do not take remedial measures to safeguard and strengthen our democracy, this might come to pass.
“At the risk of coming across as humble, I don’t think many top political figures in our day and age have done more to advance democratic government in our nation than I have.
Along with making speeches and public declarations, I also took some cases to our courts, which resulted in significant rulings meant to support democratic values and customs.
“I was forced to make some of that effort because of political struggles.” But a lot of my work was motivated by two things: I joined other leaders in the fight to remove the military from power, and I have always believed that democracy is the best path to progress and unification for our diverse nation and its peoples.
People’s freedom to choose their leaders, regular elections that help to guarantee leaders’ dedication to the welfare of the governed, leaders’ acceptance of limits (without them, leaders tend to amass and misuse power), and penalties for noncompliance, such as being turned away at the polls, are some of the characteristics that define democracy.
“Checks and balances between the three branches of government in a presidential system, as well as an independent judiciary to decide disputes.”
Atiku voiced concern about the deterioration of people’s ability to pick their leaders and the lack of continuity in government, pointing out that sentimental allusions to the First Republic’s developmental accomplishments in contrast to succeeding eras emphasize this degeneration.
“The decline in people’s ability to choose their leaders has resulted in what many now consider state capture in our nation, the most serious effect of which is the growing difficulty of overthrowing those in power through democratic means,” the former vice president continued.
He recommended that immediate attention be paid to judicial changes, party members’ normative acceptance, the institutional capability of political parties, and the penalties for noncompliance.
Atiku contends that strong political parties—especially opposition parties—are essential to the survival of democracy.
“The antithesis of democracy is the ownership of parties by or their subordination to individual big men,” he said. Party dominance is essential. However, the way our parties are currently funded does not allow for party supremacy.
Governors and a select group of affluent people providing funding is not a democratic arrangement. The music is determined by the person who pays the piper, as is well known. It is necessary to democratize funding. Parties require members to co-own and invest in them.
“Normative acceptance” refers to members’, particularly leaders’, adherence to national laws and party regulations. Laws cannot successfully change people’s behavior if they are not followed. Leaders in particular are required to abide by the rules of the game and party supremacy. Funding democracy will encourage leaders to follow the rules. Likewise, will:
“Repercussions for non-compliance
Ignoring party norms and supremacy must be made expensive. Decamping elected officials are required to leave their positions. When it occurs, that shouldn’t be up for dispute or discussion. Additionally, in general, election misconduct ought to be penalized rather than rewarded. These are essential to maintaining political integrity.
“Building a Coalition.”Moreover, opposition parties need to understand that it is very hard to overthrow a ruling party, regardless of how unpopular it is or how tired the populace is of it. To increase the opposition’s ability to accomplish that, coalition building and outright mergers are essential. Examples from other nations and our own history demonstrate that.
Judicial reform to reduce the carelessness of judges. In less than two decades, the Nigerian judiciary has transformed from a pillar of democracy to maybe the greatest danger to Nigerian democracy. That needs to be altered. The judiciary that upheld the importance of parties in selecting their candidates and leaders now condones and even encourages the dismantling of parties by a select few, and occasionally by a single person with a personal agenda.
“The judiciary’s role in electoral disputes is meant to uphold the will of the voters,” the former vice president said.
But even at the highest levels, he contended, the judiciary frequently uses technicalities to deny voters their favored options rather than upholding them.
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