• We’re involved in correcting many defects in our economy, approaches – Shettima 

• We must ensure democracy delivers inclusive opportunities – Ex Ghanaian VP

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja 

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has said that he is not interested in any coalition with the aim of grabbing power ahead of the 2027 elections.

Recently, there had been meetings and political realignment among former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the presidential candidate of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Obi, fueling speculations about a possible coalition to wrest power from President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Obi made the assertion on Monday in Abuja on the sidelines of a national conference on ‘Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria’ with the theme, ‘Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathways to Good Governance and Political Integrity’, organised by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Westminster for Democracy (WfD), Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) and National Peace Committee.

Obi said it was a known fact that as of today, Nigeria is not working, adding that the country breeds poverty everyday and people are suffering.

When asked to respond to the proposed coalition, he said: “For me, what is important is let’s discuss Nigeria. Whether we are going to do coalition…let’s talk about the future of the country.

“But often, we abandon the country and what we need to do, talking about power grab. 

“I’m not interested in any coalition for the purpose of taking power. It is about discussing Nigeria. How do we care about securing Nigerians? How do we care about the common person in Nigeria? How do we care about our children being in school? That is the most important thing for now.”

On the issue of monetisation of politics, Obi said there was a need to put an end to it.

His words: “That’s what we need to remove, because what you’re doing is that you’re encouraging stealing of public money. Because if I steal it and use it to win an election, I  get all the power and everything, including immunity not to be prosecuted. So we must stop it. That is what is driving the stealing.”

Speaking, Vice-President Kashim Shettima said they are involved in correcting many defects in the economy and approaches. 

The vice-president, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said the conference was holding at a time when democracy as a system of government was being challenged the world over to reveal its essence and its claim to represent the only system which is funded on the non negotiable right of all people to choose who governs them freely and hold leaders accountable.

He pointed out that Nigeria’s position regarding the fate of democracy in Africa, particularly in the neighbourhood, is to respect the sovereignty of peoples and encourage a return to democracy, because citizens in this country desire that. 

Shettima stated: “Our failure to prioritise the learning of history means that older generations, who appreciate the superiority of democratic systems over others, have the honourable task for creating a democratic system that speaks for itself in terms of impact only on the lives of citizens as a huge responsibility. 

“Nigeria’s democracy must mean a lot more than asking Nigerians to line up every four years to elect leaders. It must mean, in practical terms, that leaders commit to the demands of elected leadership in very transparent manners. 

“That mandates giving to them to govern, make themselves to people, to the interests of the people, custodians of their assets and protectors of their interests. The best leaders are people who exercise power only to promote the interests of their people.” 

The vice-president stressed that these interests included making laws that are consistent with the economic welfare and security of the citizen.

Shettima noted that the challenge for the leaders in democratic system is to lead with a vision which identifies a path and a destination that ultimately benefits the citizen, even where some have legitimate reservations or have issues with them. 

He said: “I would like to assure Nigerians that our administration is acutely aware of many concerns over our direction goals, particularly given the difficulties with some of our policies inevitably generated. 

“We are involved in correcting many defects in our economy and approaches securing the citizens. We have been honest to admit that this transition from a broken past to the promising future will not be without a price, and we remain focused on easing the pain and ensuring that we do not take our eyes off our goals. 

“We will listen and adjust where necessary and account for our stewardship in all manners challenging our democratic system demands.”

Shettima assured Nigerians that they would would reap the benefits of the current situation, saying  Nigeria shall rise again.

On his part, a former Vice-President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, said there was a need to ensure that democracy delivers inclusive opportunities. 

He noted that the productive energies of young people need to be harnessed properly to empower them to play positive roles in democratic sustenance. 

He stressed that one of the most important determinants of a flourishing democracy is the quality of institutions — institutions capable of guaranteeing rights, including property rights, and checking wanton abuse of power. 

Bawumia said these institutions included the independent election management bodies, the Judiciary, the Ombudsman, the police, other law enforcement agencies, and many others.

He pointed out that unfortunately, whilst the culture of peacefully choosing leaders is being entrenched, these institutions are becoming weak and endangered. 

Bawumia said that several reasons account for this; including placing partisan, ethnic, and other interests over and above competence in appointments to these institutions.

According to him, “We are simply creating mere edifices and structures to reward cronies, creating avenues for reluctant democrats to get a back door route to autocracy and misgovernance.

“Second, there is a growing phenomenon in our democracy whereby people deliberately run down these independent and accountability institutions purely on emotive reasons, especially when these institutions decide, as they should, to uphold the law in the interest of the masses and in strict fidelity to the law. 

“It is rather alarming that sometimes these bastardisation of the institutions are undertaken by people with loud voices; people with professional and technical pedigrees; and people who know the truth as espoused by these institutions. 

“For these people, partisan and sectional interests are often packaged as technical and professional opinions, thereby setting these institutions up for public ridicule, scorn and disdain. 

“This has often set the stage for people with no appreciation of the issues at stake to run amok, eroding public confidence in these institutions and causing substantial damage to our democracy.”

Bawumia was of the opinion that there was a need to reconfigure economic systems, processes and institutions in a manner that prioritises the next meal for the majority of our people. 

“For far too long, the focus has been on ticking the boxes on democratic institutions, much to the neglect of what those institutions have been able to produce for the ordinary citizen. The person, who is unable to afford the next meal, is unlikely to appreciate any data of democratic progress,” he said.

While presenting a paper on ‘Democracy in Nigeria: Challenges, Prospects and the 2027 Elections’, Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim said people are interested in access to power with no commitment to what democracy is supposed to provide.

He stressed that Nigerians are becoming concerned about the state of democracy and the challenges it has faced, but something reassuring was that in spite of the challenges, hope isn’t lost. 

He noted: “One of the problems we have had is the disruption of the democratic order by institutions that are supposed to protect it. 

“The most serious threat is the way the party system has developed.  The key characteristics is that parties don’t have members but barons, warlords who impose their interests. 

“The political parties that we have had lost their identities in terms of their manifestoes and what they stand for. The moment people can’t identify what parties stand for it becomes impossible to have democratic commitment.

“A situation where they have no commitment to ideals of democracy.  The real outcome is increasing apathy. The people have lost the right to exercise power because it has been confiscated from them. That creates the crisis of apathy.”

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