Dividends of Democracy Still a Pipe Dream

RingTrue By Yemi Adebowale

Phone 08054699539

The retreat organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Ilorin, Kwara State last Monday provided another opportunity to deconstruct why majority of Nigerians are not enjoying the dividends of democracy. Over 24 years after the return of democracy, there is still so much pain in our land; so much hunger, so much killing by terrorists, so much disease, so much poverty, so much insecurity and so much unemployment. Whereas, democracy is more about the security and welfare of the people.

At the NILDS retreat, the former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Attahiru Jega, was saddled with this responsibility of dissecting why Nigerians are not enjoying the dividends of democracy. He did not disappoint. Jega did a good job. I’m not a fan of Jega, considering his inglorious role in the 2015 presidential election that led to the victory of Muhammadu Buhari. But I totally agree with his submissions at the NILD retreat. Nigerians have not been able to enjoy the dividends of democracy since the advent of the present democratic rule in 1999 because of bad governance, a product of bad leadership. That was the core of his submission. Yes, bad governance at all levels of government has been the curse of Nigeria. Households are gasping for breath.

Jega contends, “Nigeria has been on a trajectory of liberal democratic development continuously for 23 years, since 1999 when the military returned to the barracks. While every four years, we have routinely elected representatives into the legislative and executive arms of government, there is consensus that these elements of liberal democratic development have not yet translated into substantive socioeconomic development that satisfies the needs and aspirations of the overwhelming majority of citizens.

“The so-called dividends of democracy have not yet been provided for the majority of Nigerians. Unfortunately, there has been bad leadership, not that there are no good leaders in the country but they are in short supply while the democratic institutions are also weak. Leadership at all tiers of the Nigerian federation has not been good; it has been essentially bad and undemocratic, characterised by bad, rather than good democratic governance. Many national organisations and institutions have been afflicted/affected by this tendency towards bad governance. We also need institutions that can inspire good governance.”

Jega argues that to enjoy the dividends of democracy, this country badly needs transformational leaders; leaders who must be responsible, honest and responsive. Leaders with integrity, who can inspire citizens.

No doubt, leadership has failed the citizens in our over two decades of democratic evolution, resulting in bad governance. At the federal level, virtually all the presidents we’ve had have been a big letdown. Perhaps, late Umaru Yar’Adua would have made a difference. Unfortunately, ill health did not allow this to happen. The nation’s socio-economic conditions continue to deteriorate due to bad leadership. Security, healthcare, roads, education, employment and the rest are all in shambles after 24 years of democracy. Within our 24 years of democracy, Nigeria emerged the country with the highest number of people living under poverty, pushing aside India. This is an emblem of disgrace that confirms the failure of leadership in Nigeria.

Rising inflation, which hit 22.41 per cent in May this year, has pushed more Nigerians into poverty. In the June 2023 Nigeria Development Update, the World Bank said that the accelerating inflation pushed an additional four million Nigerians into poverty in the first five months of 2023. Inflation had earlier between January and October 2022 pushed five million more Nigerians into poverty.

This means that between 2022 and 2023, not less than nine million Nigerians have been pushed into poverty as a result of inflation, largely brought about by inept leadership. The 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index survey of the National Bureau of Statistics revealed that 63% of persons living within Nigeria (133 million people) are in the multidimensionally-poor club. They are not just poor, but multidimensionally-poor. The 2023 figures will be higher, no thanks to unending failed leadership at all levels of governments. The pain at home has led to a surge in the number of Nigerians leaving this country in search of greener pastures. In a desperate bid to escape the poverty at home, many of them have been turned to slaves abroad.

The future remains bleak for the over 133 million multidimensionally-poor Nigerians. This is because of the removal of fuel subsidy and further depreciation of the Naira by the new government at the centre. It simply means that majority of Nigerians will still not enjoy the dividends of democracy under the Tinubu government. All the signs are visible just after 48 days in office. The World Bank predicts that 7.1 million more Nigerians would become poor because of the removal of subsidy. It noted that many households would be in crisis due to the depreciation of their income.

While Nigerians are being pummeled by these anti-people policies, the Tinubu government continues to plead for understanding, patience and sacrifice by the people. Those running government are living big while asking traumatised Nigerians to further shed weight.

Now, I need to address this issue of subsidy removal again. Petrol selling at almost N600 per litre is beyond the income of an average Nigerian. If we have a government that truly wants Nigerians to enjoy the dividends of democracy, subsidy on petroleum products shouldn’t have been fully removed. It is so simple to achieve this. We were told that a large quantity of the petroleum products imported into this country, for which the government pays subsidies, are smuggled to neighbouring countries. We were also told that there is a lot of fraud in the subsidy regime. There was a time that the former head of Customs, Hammed Ali, challenged the NNPCL to show how it imports over 70 million litres of petrol into the country daily, without his men at the ports knowing. NNPCL did not respond.

This is what I’m driving at: I expect a good government that wants Nigerians to enjoy the dividends of democracy to block these holes in the petrol subsidy regime and also block the smuggling of petroleum products with all its might. Those running this government know all the subsidy thieves. So, they can be tamed if this government so desires. Likewise, if smuggling is blocked, there will be at least 60 percent reduction in the money spent on petrol importation.

This can be done in this modern era of protecting borders with technology, particularly using drones. Blocking subsidy thieves and smuggling can cut subsidy expenditure by at least 60 percent. So, instead of spending about $10 billion annually on subsidy, it would come down to around $4 billion. The strategy for the long run is to work on local refining. This is the way to go for a leader that wants Nigerians to enjoy the dividends of democracy.

Countries without concrete and institutionalised support for households are largely poverty-stricken. This is the difference between developed and third world countries. In the United Kingdom, households challenged by the rising cost of electricity will each get £400 support this year. Nearly 15 million households have each received £150 to help with the cost of living. More than £2 billion has been handed to 15 million households in England under the scheme.

In Nigeria, we don’t have institutionalised social security schemes. No income support, no child support, no unemployment benefit, no disability benefit. Nothing! Yet, we are being forced to buy everything at market price. So, what is the essence of having a government?

This talk about giving 12 million households N8,000 each for six months by Tinubu is balderdash. Just 12 million households will benefit out of the estimated 45 million households in Nigeria. Besides, how will N8000 for just six months solve the massive financial crisis created by the removal of subsidy and devaluation of the Naira for these devastated Nigerian households? What happens after the six months? The security and welfare of the people must always be the priority of the state in a democracy. This is food for thought for President Bola Tinubu today.

A Word for IG Egbetokun

In my earlier note to the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, I urged him to end killing of policemen by terrorists without consequences. This has persisted for too long and must be tamed. Unfortunately, early signs in this direction by the Acting IG are not encouraging.

For example, five days after terrorists killed four police officers at a checkpoint on Gusau-Bungudu Road (Bungudu LGA of Zamfara State) the killers are yet to be apprehend\ed. Terrorists have also killed without repercussions scores of policemen in the South-east after Egbetokun emerged Acting IG. These happenings are really depressing and must be stopped.

My dear Egbetokun, this is not the way to go if you want an end to the killing of policemen by terrorists. You must consistently avenge the killing of your men by terrorists and drive a clear message to them that there will be no longer room for nonsense. When terrorists kill policemen, they must pay the supreme price. Of course, when they kill civilians too, they must also be made to pay the supreme price. This will deter the remaining guerrillas from further atrocities.

Tinubu, You Are Not President of the South-west

There is a list of Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants and Personal Assistants appointed by President Tinubu flying around. It has 20 names and 80 percent of those on the list are from the South-west, Tinubu’s base. Precisely 16 of the 20 names on the list are from the South-west. Well, it has not been officially released. At the same time, Tinubu has not denied it. So, it is authentic.

I can confirm that those on the list have received formal letters. Mr. President, this list is lopsided and unconstitutional. In all appointments, you must reflect federal character. That is the position of the law. During the tenure of Goodluck Jonathan as President, his Principal Staff Officer was a Fulani man. My dear Tinubu, that is the meaning of being the President of Nigeria. Even your personal aides must reflect federal character.

Mr. President, I need to remind you of Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution, which emphatically states that the composition of the government of the federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect federal character and promote national loyalty. This provision is to ensure that there shall be no predominance of a few states or a few ethnic groups or other factional divisions in government or any of its agencies.

The bane of former President Muhammadu Buhari was his boundless clannishness in appointments and all his actions. President Tinubu, I want you to retire into your study and spend quality time looking at this list of 20 again. Does it look like a pan-Nigeria list? To move this country forward, you must run away from nepotism. All appointments must reflect all the parts of this country. So, shred that list of 20 immediately and reconstitute it, reflecting federal character.