Avatar of Democracy -By Tony Osakpamwan Agbons

In medieval times, empires and domains were under the rulership of Imperial Kings and Queens. It was a period in history when powerful mortals reigned supreme. These great monarchs of yore superintended over their subjects and domains with wisdom, pedigree. Be it for good or for bad, they almost always left indelible footprints and sometimes even handprints in not just the sands of time but also in the hearts of men and women. In most cases, their subjects saw these Kings and Queens as demi-gods and direct representatives of divinity. One word from these “gods on Earth” was absolute Law. These imperial majesties ruled by decree, and royal seals which were irrevocable. The stories of such legendary emperors and empresses are still being told with pride and gusto till this day by their people. Over the years, times have changed, and nation states evolved. Leadership ascension is now demanded by political party candidates and who are elected to positions by the people via a process called Democracy.

There is a country called Nigeria. It is at a critical point where it needs to decant the myth of democracy from the reality of democracy. According to the Britannica Encyclopaedia, Democracy literally means rule by the people. The term is derived from the Greek word, demokratia, which was coined from `demos` (people) and `kratos` (rule) in the middle of the 5th century BC to denote the political system existing then in some Greek city-states, notably Athens. As Nigerians, partisanship aside, can we beat our chest and be proud of the type of democracy practised in our country? Can Nigeria boldly say the basic minimum standards of the tenets of democracy were met at the February 25th and March 18th, 2023, elections? Did the electoral umpire, INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) led by `Mr Promise and Fail’, Mahmood Yakubu deliver on what they promised Nigerians? Did the Nigerian politrickcians allow the citizenry to freely choose those they want to lead them? Has the Nigerian judiciary dispensed justice without fear or favour in the adjudication of the presidential election case? Was the `lady of justice strangulated and sacrificed on the altar of technicalities? We can go on and on…

The questions on the lips of many Nigerians are legion; for how long will the voter’s choice be determined by a few Judges at the courts? Why was the electronic transmission system put in place by INEC with over 300 billion naira of taxpayer`s money jettisoned by a so-called technical glitch? Surely there was a motive. Is it okay for the current INEC leadership and his team to still be in office after their woeful BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System) and IREV (INEC Result Viewing Portal) promise and fail performance? What is the Trust Implication of this monumental failure by INEC for the next 2027 general elections? How will INEC talk to and convince Nigerian voters that all will be well that year. A huge moral burden awaits!

There is a current introspection on the kind of democratic vehicle that Nigeria has boarded. Every nation has its `aha-moment`- one of great national reset. Did Nigeria just miss an opportunity for rebirth on February 25th, 2023? The entity called Nigeria has a habit of blowing her chance and missing golden opportunities. Name one sector in Nigeria where we can say it is Uhuru! It is all abracadabra in education, lack of value for Nigerian lives in healthcare, a sky full of anxieties in aviation, a horde of masses without shelter in housing, epileptic electricity supply in the power sector, subsistence caricature in agriculture, challenges of insecurity in security, poor foundational structuring in all things infrastructure, loss of moral currency as well as a poor fabric of what was once our value system in our overall societal tapestry to mention but a few. Just now, democracy has been added to the list. Observers of “Project Nigeria” wonder why the country cannot do simple things right. What is so difficult in counting voters at polling units, writing down the figures, and transmitting same prompto via the BVAS machine to the IREV portal. Technology remains the antidote to the criminal manual manipulations which happens at collation centres after elections. Greedy politicians will always circumvent the process to their pecuniary advantage.

What then is the panacea to our democratic avatar. Our electoral system needs a total recalibration. If we have to conduct sham elections every four years, and winners telling losers `go to court`, then we could as well adopt the Chinese option of se(election) instead of election. The Chinese Politburo model is one where some `strong men` se(elect) leaders every five years. In China, they do not waste money conducting elections. This method can save us billions of naira and unquantifiable emotional energy. Of what use is a democracy if voters cannot decide those who lead them. For Nigeria, the following aspect of our democratic process has to be recalibrated.

First, the 2022 electoral act should be amended and electronic transmission of results from polling units made mandatory. Second, election litigations (if any) should be concluded before inauguration of the new government. Thirdly, the appointment of the INEC chair and other top echelons of the electoral body should be independent of the President. These measures will ensure a level playing field for all. The Nigerian Judiciary must be alive to their responsibility and accountable to the people. They must eschew `cooking of technicalities` and ‘frying of evidence’ to deliver fairness, justice, and equity. A deviation from justice can only be an invitation for anarchy to come in and be the order of the day. Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done. In the final analysis, those who present themselves for leadership must realise that it is TRUE service to the people. They are not to be served as Lords and Ladies of the manors but must give and serve as the servants of the people. I come in peace.

Dr Agbons is Lead, Institute of Leadership and Good Governance @www.twin2.org