Nigeria’s Democracy And The Failure Of PDP
The return to democracy in 1999 was welcomed by the greater majority of Nigerians as well as the international community. Though, as a young student back then, i was optimistic that democracy in its right context remain the best model of government in this our contemporary society.
This is because of my belief that it offers opportunity to greater number of people than during the military that only few number of people take decision on be halve of the majority. There is also greater freedom in democracy than any other forms of government. PDP , then clinch the leadership at the federal level, with majority of the national assembly members being from the PDP. Greater number of the governors are also from the PDP, as well as members of the states assembly and local government councils in the country. This gives them the uppotunity to transform the country, which they failed to do.
Though, also agree with those who believe that those who struggle for the return of democracy, and sacrifice a lot for our country were skimmed out due to the fact that some of them did not believe in the sincerity of the military to actually hand over power to the bloody civilian as they use to call it in their military parlance. That is why people like Wole Soyinka, Shehu Sani, and hundreds of the human right activists had not been in position of power then. Though few of them were actually part of the PDP and had been in positions of ministers and other political office holders.
This i think had given room for those who happen to be in positions of authority by accident or unprepared to be in position of authority without being prepared for such task.
The PDP with full powers at the federal and most state government have failed in their drive to transform Nigeria in many aspects. In fact some people will say it has failed in all spears of governance. The PDP’s undemocratic attitudes, have resulted in monumental failures which has made the country the worst in terms of human capital development index. The high level of corruption in the land, insecurity, high rate of unemployment, militancy, piracy, high rate of infant as well as maternal mortality, decay in our education, failure in agriculture, oil theft, kidnapping and other forms of insecurity. In fact, even sports that us to be our unifying factor has suffered a great set back due to failure of the PDP led federal govt.
Our power sector is in shambles despite the billions of dollars that had been spent on the power infrastructure. The agricultural sector that use to be the engine room of our economy has completely been neglected. Our educational sector that is suppose to be the driving force in both human capital as well as our technological advancement has completely failed. Our infrastructures are in bad shape with our roads being a death trap, our aviation sector still operating what was left to us by the colonial masters. Our industries that use to employ high number of people are in the decline. Our railway is now history, the iron and still industry which was part of our founding fathers dream of industrializing the country is now just a dream that will be difficult to come to reality.
Politically, the PDP led government have failed to organize a credible election that is accepted by all or at least by the greater majority of the citizens. The PDP has failed to institutionalize internal democracy within the party not to talk of the country as a whole. The PDP has fail to give equal chance to all its members to aspire for any electable offices, with majority of its party congresses and conventions ending up in scandals. The PDP which preaches the rule of law, only abide by court injunctions that favors them and disregard injunctions that does not favor them. The recent scandal in the NGF election that was won by 19 against 16, and the just concluded national convention that lead to the forming of a parallel leadership of the party, due to disqualifications of certain candidates that are perceived as working against the president instead of allowing members to elect leaders of their choice is an example of the decay in the party.
The PDP should realize by now that we are in the 21st century and Nigerians are more enlighten now than ever, with the greater chance of expressing their opinion most especially through the use of the social media. The era of dictatorship is over and no longer fashionable. Their failure to realize the danger of their undemocratic culture will surely consume them if they fail to make redress and apologize to Nigerians for their misgovernace.This will surely lead them to be on the road of becoming a minority party after claiming to rule country for 60 years. The attitude of “do as i say and not do as i do” of the PDP is certainly their main albatross that will lead them to extinction.
With the coming up of progressive parties in Nigeria, they should realize that Nigerians now have alternatives, and therefore PDP now has the choice of correcting their mistakes or face the wrath of Nigerians who are now ready more than ever to say no to corrupt govt, insecurity, unemployment, militancy and other forms of misrule by any government. If they fail to realize this, then one can conclusively say that the extinction of the PDP is just around the corner.
BY ABDULLAHI YUSUF