The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has expressed deep concern over what it describes as the continuous erosion of democratic values in Nigeria.
Naijaonpoint reports that the forum warned that the country is not on a progressive democratic path, 32 years after the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election, which Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola won.
The forum’s National Publicity Secretary, Tukur Muhammad-Baba, made this known during a chat with Vanguard, lamenting that core tenets of democracy have “been observed more in the breach than in compliance” since the return to civilian rule in 1999.
According to Muhammad-Baba, while the ACF welcomes the anniversary of June 12, it is worried that Nigeria is not living up to the democratic expectations symbolised by that pivotal moment in history.
“The ACF welcomes the anniversary but regrets that Nigeria does not seem to be on a trajectory towards the entrenchment of democratic ideals as June 12 should have dictated,” he said.
He noted that free and fair elections, legislative independence, judicial oversight, and public accountability have all continued to decline, with politicians themselves often being the culprits.
Muhammad-Baba further stated, “Systematically, those principles of democracy, such as free and fair elections, robust representation, checks and balances among the various branches of government, legislative independence and oversight, robust, independent judiciary and accountability have all been observed more in the breach than in compliance.”
The ACF spokesman pointed out that many elected officials are now the main subverters of democratic ideals, either through actions, inaction or sheer indifference to the will of the people.
He stated, “A poignant illustration of the regressive decline in the ideals of democracy is the fact that more and more elected officials are the same people subverting democracy by their actions, inactions and insensitivity to the yearning of the populace.”
He warned that at the current pace, true democracy in Nigeria could take decades to take root, if it ever does.
According to Muhammad-Baba, “It is, therefore, highly regretful to surmise that at the demonstrable pace that the country is going, true democracy will take decades to take root, if at all.”
Despite the grim outlook, the ACF maintained that hope must not be lost, calling on capable leaders and the electorate to reclaim the country’s democratic future.
Muhammad-Baba stressed, “While very dismal, the people cannot afford to lose hope. Something will have to give, as the existential threat that the current mainstream politicians represent cannot endure.
“It is also not too late to retrace our dismal political behaviour. ACF hopes that those that have the capacity and capability, supported by the electorate, will rise to the occasion to deliver.”