Guardian

Osita Okechukwu, national publicity secretary, Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) writes on 14 years of democracy.

ONE of the famous definitions engraved in stone and which many of us memorised about democracy is the one by one of America’s renowned presidents, Abraham Lincoln. It was culled from his address at the Guttersberg, which defined democracy thus ‘government by the people for the people.’

It could be recalled that the Guttersberg address was inspired by the gruesome death of soldiers who died in action defending the United States of America in the civil war, which engulfed the nation.

Lincoln’s definition remains timeless for democracy is about the people, on whom sovereignty resides; democracy accordingly, unlike monarchy, dictatorship and dynasty is founded on the altar of common good, which is designed to enhance peoples’ welfare and security.

The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, under Chapter Two- Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, like Hummarabi Code, Magna Carter, US Constitution and other grundnorms of democracy upheld the truism that the primary purpose of government is welfare and security of the people.

Therefore, the hope of the people for better life under democracy motivated Nigerians to fight for the return of democracy after the 1993 annulment of presidential election won by late Chief MKO Abiola.

Consequently, high hopes were raised that the culture of impunity will be a thing of the past; that the legislature, which was outlawed will be back on stream and the judiciary, which has been less than independent will be independent.

One may opine that relative freedom returned with democracy in Nigeria. Freedom, though abstract in a sense, remains the most prominent dividend of democracy, as Nigerians enjoyed openness, expression of opinion freely, unfettered access to information, and with the Freedom of Information Act, can access or probe any information, unlike under military dictatorship.

On the minus or down side are legion of unintended paradox. Unintended paradox, for a lot of people are still dumb founded at how our critical infrastructure and social services collapsed; mortality rate, human prosperity or poverty index are worse today than in 1999. Despite unprecedented rise in oil price, which cushion our mono-economy.

During the late General Sani Abacha’s regime between 1994 and 1998 a barrel of oil hovered around $15 -$18 per barrel. Providence, supporting our democracy, astronomically increased international oil price from $22 per barrel in 1999 to $145 per barrel in 2004, 2005 and has not gone below $90 as at today.

Available records show over N50 trillion accrued to our Federation Account and yet, there is huge deficit in electricity supply, good road network, modern rail line, petroleum refinery and poor social services.

The Public Accounts Committee recently opened the pandora’s-box; by exposing how a slush fund, by the name Natural Resources Fund of N1.5 trillion was set up in 2002 and monies withdrawn at will in a less than transparent manner.

To worsen matters, the legislature returned with democracy; but there is no State House of Assembly in any State of the federation that exercises its oversight mandate. One stands to be corrected that they are all rubber-stamp parliament and even the National Assembly, which barks at times, has regrettably been converted into a Trade Center. As a Trade Center our distinguished Senators and honourable Members more or less, are preoccupied with how to share the proverbial national cake, more than how to enhance or make life better for the greatest number of Nigerians.

The judiciary, as well could not escape the corruption surge, which democracy in Nigeria was unable to contain or heal.

The helplessness of our judiciary was more exposed by the deluge of post-election disputes, which besieged the courts. Post election disputes rose from over 1000 petitions after the 2003 sham elections to almost 2000 petitions after 2007 sham elections; as our elections were correctly dubbed by the then mastermind, ex-president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Do-or-Die.

The climax was the Supreme Court judgment of the 2007 presidential election, which ended in 4-3 verdict; making the Chief Justice of Nigeria to cast the deciding vote, very rare in history.

In an attempt to proffer an answer, one can trace the monumental corruption, which governed our democracy not only to the greed of our people; but to an inchoate economic policy adopted by the ruling party – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The economic policy was adapted from the Washington Consensus or Chicago School of thought, which in simplicita says that government has no business in business. That the state should only provide the enabling environment, while the private sector will drive the development process.

As usual, the Nigerian factor crept in and the proponents of the economic policy did not properly examine and diagnose the medicine being administered to a primitive economy.

They forgot or mischievously ignored the fact that 98percent of the so-called captains of industry has no industry or even pure water factory. They only carry brief case, chasing the Petro-Dollar.

An economic policy, which is only suitable for the advanced countries of the world, where the economy is strong, and welfare provided and public sector had already upgraded its critical infrastructure that you can meaningfully adapt the Washington Consensus.

The unpleasant outcome was that the motto of the PDP becomes Share the Money, while its ideology is Food is ready.

The scenario above shows how the over $16 billion expended on electricity did not provide commensurate power supply.

It must be said that democracy still remains the most appropriate vehicle for our development; especially with the national consensus, which gave birth to granite merger of the four major opposition progressive political parties.

The merger of Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance, Congress for Progressive Change and Civil Societies Organisations is no doubt a game changer. Game changer in the sense that 2015 elections will be fought on common ground and the winner will not take all. In other words, none of the two parties can win the presidency with more than 52percent. This will make it impossible for any winner not to delude itself as the largest party and big for nothing party of Africa.

It will actualize the core ingredient of liberal democracy, where two dominant political parties are mostly prevalent. This invariably means that at each election the electorate is presented with clear choice and where in actual fact no one party rules per se.

In sum, 2015 elections will be free, fair and transparent, not only because of the independence or transparency of INEC or because it will be a referendum of the incumbent; but on the truism anchored on the equal strength of the two major contending parties - PDP and APC.