Issues as Nigerian Democracy blossoms.
– Steve Ovirih.
About 16 years ago, it would be right to describe this Democratic experience as nascent but between 1999 till date, 24 donkey years so to speak, our Democracy obviously has grown in leaps and bounds.
Today May 29th, a grand inauguration ceremony holds in Abuja to swear in Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President of Nigeria alongside Kashim Shettima, his Vice.
The Democratic experience in Nigeria has not been without its peculiar challenges. Attention must be called to these challenges as the new democratically elected President takes office today.
In the developed world, Democracy thrives on The Rule of Law, devolution of power, independence of the judiciary, press freedom, restructuring, state policing, fiscal state autonomy and above all true federalism.
The whole essence of Democracy is for government to realise as its mandate good of the generality of the people in a tie or a bond of social contract.
Nigeria in the past 8 years has been at the mercy of insecurity from the Boko haram insurgents, the unknown , unseen, yet brutal herdsmen ; corruption had ravaged the land , while the economy has nosedived with the Naira to Dollar exchange rate always in a yo-yo rythm in which our currency has suffered alarming devaluation.
If Democracy is meant to assuage the challenges of the majority on the security, economic and welfare front, the new government coming to power on May 29th must hit the ground running.
The argument on fuel subsidy removal will come to the fore in the early days of the Tinubu administration; bearing in mind that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a Pro Democracy persona understands quite well what it means to make the masses of Nigeria enjoy dividends of democracy, one hopes that his government does not start by ramming down the throat of the masses fuel subsidy removal subsidy.
Happy Democracy to Nigerians.
