Democracy Is Beyond Lip Service

By

Olalekan Michael Adeoye

 

 

Despite Nigeria’s dubious claim to rejoining the family of democratic nations, after prolonged years of military dictatorship, democracy is still stifled in the country. In fact, the manner democracy is being throttled today brings back the sad memories of military rule. Among the attractive features of democracy are the freedom of choice, participation and respect for popular opinion by those brought to power by election.

 

In all honesty, however, can anyone assert that there is democracy in Nigeria today, except for the fact that we transformed from military rule to civil rule? Professor Wole Soyinka has launched the most blistering attack yet on Nigeria’s current bogus democracy. During a recent public lecture, which was prominently and widely publicized by the national press, Professor Soyinka warns that democracy faces a “mortal threat” and that unless Nigerians rise in unison to restore the heart of democracy, the country will inevitably descend into what he called “creeping dictatorship.”

 

The Professor is not known for idle talk, because each time he speaks about certain national issues, he does so with genuine passion. His credentials as a critic of dictatorship in whatever guise are so well established that his views are taken seriously, except perhaps those who love to play the ostrich. If prominent Nigerians like Professor Soyinka could speak with such vehemence against the atrophy of democratic culture, regardless of their ethnic backgrounds or political persuasions, then certainly something is fundamentally wrong with our current “democracy” for which Nigerians invested so much resources, time and energy to bring about.

 

Before Professor Soyinka, other prominent Nigerian leaders and organizations have also spoken with the same sense of frustration regarding the direction our so-called democracy is taking. What is by far interesting, however, is the public admission by Vice-President Atiku Abubakar that, indeed, all is not well with our democracy. Speaking at a recent meeting of civil society groups, the Vice-President shocked many Nigerians by his open acknowledge that our democracy suffers fundamental flaws, which if not checked, can endanger the future of such system of government.

 

According to Atiku Abubakar, factors such as rigging, imposition of unpopular candidates and the subversion of party constitutions are fatal threats to the growth of genuine democracy that can command popular respect. In his view, rigging takes place even before election through manipulations that lead to unfair outcomes. Although these issues are common knowledge, probably few Nigerians could have believed that a number two office holder in the present administration would have the courage to make such open admission of the obvious flaws of our democracy.

 

In fact, those who were expecting the Vice-President to come to the meeting with ready-made defence to gloss over such flaws of our democracy must have jumped out of their skins, watching a key figure in the PDP federal administration admitting the dangers facing our democracy. There are times when lying to cover up the obvious does not help the credibility of any government.

 

Perceived in some quarters as “wimpish”, “spineless” and “unassertive”, many Nigerians were shocked by Atiku’s plain courage to speak up against the creeping threats to our democracy. At a time Nigeria assumes the dubious role of a moral watchdog for democracy in Africa, tongue-lashing the manner Faure Eyadema of Togo attempted to succeed his late father by subverting the constitution, the public comments by the Vice-President should be taken seriously by all genuine lovers of democracy.

 

Again, at a time public hostility is rising against President Obasanjo’s alleged third term agenda, Atiku’s comments are a reflection of the fact that the future of democracy goes beyond individual, politicians or their party affiliation. The PDP should have the same commitment to democracy as its rivals in the country. Who can deny that the systematic pattern of disqualifying popular candidates, the subversion of party constitutions and manipulation conventions are not mortal threats to democracy? Democracy goes beyond precept or lip service. The PDP cannot be boasting as the largest political party in Africa when basic democratic practices are suppressed within the party. What makes a political party command popular respect is not its sheer size but its reputation for genuine commitment to basic democratic norms and standards?

 

It is ironic that for almost eight years after Nigeria’s return to democratic rule, the country’s citizens are still worried that democracy is still under siege. It is pleasing, however, that democratic voices are mustering the courage to speak up against what is widely perceived as the steadily growing weeds, threatening the growth of genuine democracy. The suppressing of popular voices for authentic democratic culture and practice is fast leading to stiff resistance from Nigerians of different ethnic and political identities. When great men like Wole Soyinka, who have no stomach for dictatorial tendencies, join the growing voices of opposition to imminent threats confronting our nascent democracy, Nigerians should have every reason to worry that something is fundamentally wrong.

 

Until recently, nobody could have believed that any member of the ruling PDP would have had the faintest courage to admit of factors causing the evisceration of democracy in the country. As the main components of authentic democratic practice are being systematically dismantled, many angry politicians silently retreated to their holes like frightened rats. For a sitting Vice-President like Atiku Abubakar, however, to come clean, confessing that all is not well with our current democracy, Nigerians are pleasantly surprised that such a leading PDP figure would summon such courage to speak up.

 

The seeds of tyranny are watered by our own cowardice. In fact, according to the late Mahatma Ghandi of India, “there are tyrants where there are cowards.” The systematic suppression of popular choice and its replacement by imposition of candidates is inconsistent with genuine democratic tradition.

 

Many leading Nigerians who had risked their freedoms and even their lives to bring this democracy into being are all lamenting the tragedy afflicting the outcome of their labour. The invasion and seizure of our democratic ship by an amalgam of sycophants who have no popular following of any description should give Nigerians a cause for regret. Democracy, as the embodiment of popular sentiments, is facing the same mortal threats as it did under the military dictatorship. The labour movement is systematically emasculated through a legislation designed to weaken all sources of genuine opposition and criticism.

 

In fact, even the concept of separation of powers, as originated by Charles Montesquieu of France, is an anathema in the political dictionary of those determined to bend basic democratic principles to gratify their voracious appetite for absolute power. As former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim once noted, these despotic forces wearing the mask of democracy, would not mind operating a democracy without parliament!

 

There are moments in the course of life when silence may not be golden. Our popular silence in the face of intolerance and crude methods to achieve power by despotic means can be mistaken for giving legitimacy to dictatorship at the expense of democracy. In fact, there are Nigerians who feel that given the atrophy of democratic standards in the country, elections may not even be necessary in 2007. With the democratic space under virtual conquest by an invading army of sycophants, who treat freedom of choice with utter contempt, why should INEC need waste public funds to organize elections when the outcome is already pre-determined? With less than two years to 2007, even international observers are worried about the direction our so-called democracy is taking.

 

During his recent visit to Nigeria, the would Bank President Mr. Paul Wolfowitz of U.S.A. had asked a publicly embarrassed President Obasanjo whether he is going in 2007. Whether it was a banter or not, the question came down like a bolt from the blues. Disconcerted, our President had to go through the motions to reassure the visiting World Bank Chief of his determination to go after finishing his two terms in 2007.

 

If the international community could show such level of interest in the future of Nigeria’s democracy, why should democrats within the country be indifferent? The public admission by Vice-President Atiku Abubakar that, unless genuine democratic practices are entrenched, such system of popular participation and freedom of choice would be in jeopardy was an act of extraordinary courage. His acknowledgement is like a father admitting of the faults of his own children.

 

The question is not whether Atiku Abubakar is a victim of the suppressing of democratic standards or practices, but whether there is merit in his genuine admission of the obvious truth about the threats to our so-called democracy.

 

To dismiss his views out of hand, just because we perceived the Vice-President as an aggrieved party member, is like throwing away the baby with the bath water! For example, who can dispute the fact that subverting the party constitution, imposition of unpopular candidates and deliberately bending the rules of fair competition, is not a manifestation of rigging before election?

 

Indeed, the suppression of democracy takes many forms. Some achieve it by the barrel of the gun, but some others use administrative and constitutional manipulation to assault democracy. Either way, both methods represent a threat to democracy because both means seek to deny people the right to choose their own leaders freely. In far away Indonesia, former President B.J. Habibie attempted to continue in power by first dissolving parliament, but his maniacal and undemocratic move was stopped in its tracks by stiff popular resistance. In the end, he left office ingloriously, joining the unenviable club of “democratic” dictators, whose megalomaniacal affliction led them to think that the fates of their nations hinge on them.

 

OLALEKA MICHAEL ADEOYE is a Public Affairs Commentator