.Democracy is a gradual process, says Jonathan
.Nigerians dissatisfied with democratic experience so far – Masari
By Uche Onyeali, Yahaya Umar (Abuja) and IKHILI EBALU (BENIN CITY)
As President Bola Tinubu, addresses Nigerians in a nationwide broadcast as part of the Democracy Day celebration today, the administration is no doubt going to receive cheers and feeling of discontent from citizens across divides.
Announcement for Tinubu’s maiden Democracy Day speech was made by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, in Abuja, yesterday.
AljazirahNigeria reports that the presidential address comes at a time the country is facing numerous challenges including insecurity, astronomical rise in food prices which the National Bureau of Statistics blamed for driving inflation in the country.
Earlier, in March, the nation recoded 33.20% inflation rate, drawing criticism to the one year old Tinubu administration.
In recent time organised labour in the country had been on the neck of the administration as it battles the federal government for a new minimum wage in the face of bitting economic hardship across the country,.
In this vein, the president’s speech today will spark a mixed reactions of cheers and discontent over the state of the nation.
In any case former President Goodluck Jonathan,
yesterday expressed hope in the nation’s democracy despite current challenges.
Jonathan, shortly after meeting with the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II in his palace in Benin City,
said democracy is a gradual process and countries must be able to know and appreciate that because of its inherent benefits.
He said that we are celebrating the democracy day and looking at the faces, some of you were not born in 1998, 1999 that this present republic came to stay because we will be 25 years old and as at that time, some of you were not born or maybe you could be one or two years and may not know what really happened in Nigeria before this time.
The former president that “we have media freedom because of democracy. It was not like this before. Yes, the dividends of democracy in terms of what comes to the people, are we feeding well? Do you have a good job? Can you go to hospitals that have doctors, drugs? We are still struggling to get there.
“But the journey is on. I believe we will get there”, Jonathan said.
Contrastingly, former Speaker, House of Representatives and immediate past Katsina State Governor, Honourable Aminu Masari, warned Nigeria’s political class that the country’s democracy is at a critical stage and requires urgent attention to address declining faith in the system, especially among youths.
Masari, gave the warning yesterday in his keynote address at a public lecture in celebration of Nigeria’s 25th Democracy Day, held at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja.
He noted that though 70© of Nigerians prefers democracy, 77% are however dissatisfied with its performance, citing a 2022 Afrobarometer survey.
Warning the current political actors in the country, he said government should.not be just for the politicians by the politicians and for the politicians.
“We need to prioritise the needs of the populace ahead of our own needs. We also need to become better democrats. We need to fully imbibe the culture of democracy. We need good winners and good losers”, he noted.
The former speaker emphasised the need for continuous attention to shifting perceptions of democracy among Nigerians, warning that complacency could undermine the system’s endurance.
He stressed that democracy’s value lies in its ability to deliver tangible benefits to citizens, urging leaders to prioritise poverty reduction, inequality, human capacity development, and opportunity expansion.
The former governor highlighted the importance of engaging youths, who constitute a majority of Nigeria’s population, and creating an enabling environment for their growth and contribution to the country’s development.
