Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy, Democratic Institutions

Nigeria joined the Community of Democracies (CoD) in order to deepen its democracy.

Efforts so far made to entrench democracy in Nigeria were recognised by the body, as the country was elected to lead the organisation from 2015 to 2017.

The election took place on Feb. 26, 2013 at the 7th Governing Council meeting of CoD in Geneva.

The CoD, an intergovernmental organisation, was established in 2,000 in Warsaw, Poland, and it works to strengthen democracy worldwide by providing support to emerging democracies and civil society groups.

It also identifies threats to democracy, while advancing broad-based participation in democratic governance, among others.

As a prelude to Nigeria’s assumption of the Presidency of the CoD, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the body, recently organised a workshop in Abuja with the theme “Strengthening Democratic Traditions and Institutions’’.

President Goodluck Jonathan, who spoke at the workshop, pledged the Federal Government’s commitment to entrenching democratic principles in the country.

He stressed that the 2011 general elections were “adjudged by international and local observers as free, fair, transparent and credible.

“Respect for human rights, justice and the free choice of Nigerians remain fundamental to the policies of this administration,’’ Jonathan said.

Prof. Viola Onwuliri, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, noted that many people around the world had sacrificed their lives for democracy to thrive.

She said that the 14 years of Nigeria’s democracy had its challenges and threats, just like other more established democracies elsewhere.

“Be it as it may, our interest in deepening democratic values has led Nigeria to join the Community of Democracies (CoD).

“While Nigeria may be a relatively new democracy, it is pertinent to note that for almost 14 years since the return to democratic rule, we have recorded a huge measure of stability,’’ she said.

Senate President David Mark, who was represented by retired Maj.-Gen Mohammed Saleh, noted that there was no perfect democracy in the world as every democratic institution had its own challenges.

“There is no government with a perfect democracy and as citizens, we have to understand that.

“It is a learning and building process. The older democracies have had numerous challenges.

“We must, as a matter of urgency, come together with a collective mind set to move the country forward,’’ he said.

Ms Maria Leissner, the Secretary-General of CoD, said that democracy was not only about politicians and leaders but also about civil societies and participants from all spheres of life.

She also said that there was no permanency in democracy, as leaders must give way for new ones.

“I am pleased that Nigeria is taking over the presidency of the community because of its contributions to peace and its size.

“By population and contribution to peace in the sub-region, I am delighted you are coming on board.

“In democracies, there will always be new chances; there is no permanency in power,’’ she said.

Leissner said that Nigeria was expected to show the world that Africa was not all about negative things.

“It is an opportunity to project the real image of Africa and democratic institutions across the continent,’’ she added.

Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, said that many Nigerians could not understand the roles of the National Assembly in a democracy due to many years of military rule.

The Speaker, who was represented by Rep. Nnenna Ukeje, the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said that Nigerians ought to be more enlightened about the roles of the three arms of government.

“Long years of obscurity, caused by the military interregnum, made it difficult for Nigerians to understand the role of the National Assembly.

“The mission of the parliament is to represent the people and form a nexus between the people and the government,’’ he said.

A former Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mike Okiro, said that the police had a vital role to play in the sustenance of democracy.

He, however, stressed that the police should be non-partisan and be fair to all.

“INEC should ensure a level-playing ground for all parties, the law enforcement agents should be non-partisan and the media should report issues without bias,’’ Okiro said.

However, Prof. Abdulhameed Ujo of the Department of Political Science, University of Abuja, underscored the need to grant the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) a full autonomy.

He conceded that this was the first time Nigeria would have an electoral body with the appellation “independent’’.

Ujo, nonetheless, noted said that the electoral body only enjoyed financial autonomy.

“INEC must be truly independent; in a democratic setting, the electoral body is an umpire and therefore, it should not be under the control of the executive or any other stakeholder.

“This is the first time we have an independent body by law but the constitution does not make provisions for its independence.

“However, INEC has financial autonomy; the executive no longer has control over its finances,’’ he said.

The university don also stressed the need to ensure transparency in the appointment of INEC chairman and commissioners.

Ujo said that the positions should be advertised, while the candidates were screened by the National Judicial Council, which would then make recommendations to the president for ratification.

Prof. Ehiedu Iweriebor of the University of New York called on INEC to design a deliberate programme to mobilise Nigerians to participate fully in the democratic process.

He noted that traditional African societies were democratic, adding that democratic struggles had been an inherent part of Nigeria’s political history.

All the same, stakeholders believe that Nigeria’s fledgling democracy will mature with time.

They also believe that Nigeria’s democracy will receive a boost as soon as the country takes over the Presidency of the CoD from El Salvador in 2015.

Okoronkwo writes for News Agency of Nigeria.

Chijioke Okoronkwo