Former minister of education and chieftain of the Social Democratic Party, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, says Nigeria’s democratic journey since 1999 has been retrogressive.
Adeniran said that since the country returned to democratic rule 21 years ago, it had been taking a step forward and three steps backward.
The former minister told our correspondent that what had been happening in Nigeria in the past 21 years was not democracy but civil rule, stressing that all elements of democracy had been lacking.
He said elections over the years had been characterised by rigging and violence, tendencies which he said were far from democratic norms.
Adeniran said, “As we progress in our journey to democracy, we need to work harder and be more serious on the issue of democracy in our land.
“We need to be on track. Democracy goes beyond holding elections. It should be a consolidation of the process of people determining who governs them and people must not just be part of the process.
“We must also build institutions of democracy and strengthen them. We should not leave democracy in the hands of the people who want power at all cost, but those who allow the freewill of the people. We must determine who rule the people through the rule of law, rather than the use of arms or through violence. Democracy should be defined by the people.
“Courts should be allowed to play their assigned role and carry out their responsibilities without force or coercion. Matters should be determined based on the rule of law and courts should be allowed to concentrate and dispense justice.”
