By Ikechukwu Amaechi
20/01/2021
“The bane of Nigeria’s so-called democracy is the hero-worshipping of too many strong men. In Nigeria, those elected into public office become masters rather than servants of the people. They become demi-gods whose words, rather than the law must be obeyed.
To be fair, the shenanigans did not start with the Buhari presidency but it is not better under his watch either. In fact, it is even worse.
Under his watch, democratic institutions which ought to stand as a bulwark against the excesses of those who exercise executive powers, bend to the whims and caprices of strong men.
As long as Buhari can whimsically orchestrate the removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria on the eve of a consequential election and install a crony in his place, the country’s democracy will remain endangered.
As long as security chiefs see their job from the very narrow prism of regime protection rather than the big picture – security of lives and property of citizens and territorial integrity of the country – we will have issues.
As long as Nigeria has a Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives whose loyalty is to the President and not to the Constitution, our democracy remains endangered.
As long as we have electoral officials, including the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who see the electoral victory of those who appointed them into office as a sacred mandate, our claim to being a democracy remains a fantasy.
That is the lesson from Trump’s ignominious departure, and Biden’s ascendancy to the Oval Office.”
