The happenings in the country, beginning from the moment this present government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took over the mantle of leadership, precisely on May 29, 2023, indeed, is not what the people bargained for as they expected quick return to normalcy. Worthy of note is that the current president actively participated in the democratic struggle when the country was under the grip of military rule that lasted for almost three decades. Although, the long history of disappointment which the country is witnessing today did not start with this government, but the question is; are we not in a democracy? For example, the show of shame recently displayed by the officials of Department for State Services (DSS), at the Federal High Court in Lagos is one case, too many. The clash between the DSS and Prisons officials over the re-arrest of Mr. Godwin Emefiele, former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), who is standing trial before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, who granted the accused bail on account of illegal possession of firearms is worrisome and very reprehensible thereby demonstrating the kind of democracy we practice.
The DSS has earned the notoriety of disobeying court orders, even detaining accused persons longer than what the law stipulates, on flimsy excuses, yet each time this happens, the government turns the other way without any one being sanctioned to forestall future occurrence. Genuine democracy should be pursued with vigour, without contradictions at every level of governance. Unfortunately, what we practice in Nigeria is near authoritarianism rather than liberal democracy which the 1999 constitution amplifies. No thanks to the behaviours of the political class whose activities since democracy was restored leaves much to be desired. This is because, no one political party in Nigeria of today anchored its ideology on the general well being of the people and society, even though they claim so during electioneering. Democracy is an unfinished business. We must restore the rule of law and not the rule of men the opposite of what is happening in the country now. In practice, the citizens voice should be heard and loudly too, such that they can recall their representatives when it is necessary to do so. That is what obtains in other climes where democracy is allowed to thrive without inhibition that has become the order of the day in our society.
That is how to measure the workability of democratic process. When such provisions are absent, it would be difficult for citizens to harvest the dividends of democracy With so much that is already happening; for instance; insecurity, removal of fuel subsidy, dwindling rate of the naira, incessant increase of petroleum pump price, outright rejection of the proposed N8,000 palliatives by the Nigerian people, hunger and starvation all over the place, and myriads of other problems, the time is now for the government to sit up without unnecessary diversionary tendencies which the country has witnessed in the recent past. The Italian philosopher, Niccolo Machiavelli espoused that: ”If you want to know the character of the government, you look at the choice of the ministers”. While we wait for the ministerial list, we want to understand that this government knows what the people want as well as the urgency these challenges demand in tackling the pertinent issues raised.
The protest over continuous rise in price of fuel which took place in Benin, Edo State should not be allowed to spill over to other states, otherwise, the government may have itself to blame. Government should realise that the people of Nigeria are watching events closely as they unfold so they should desist from making excuses when there is much work to be done. Democracy which everyone agrees to be the best form of government should be allowed to blossom. Enough of these political fallacies. What the people want is good governance and food on their tables and freedom of expression without anyone lording it over them. The government should by now hit the ground running to reduce the hue and cry that has become the order of the day.
