Nigeria Democracy Is Under Serious Threat, Says Bishop

Unless major stakeholders in the Nigeria project retrace their steps to safe the country, a Pentecostal Bishop has warned that the nation’s democracy is presently on the way to total collapse.

Bishop Seun Adeoye of Sufficient Grace and Truth Ministry (SGTM), Rehoboth Arena, Okinni, Osun State in a statement on Monday, December 12, 2016 said the threat to the nation’s democracy was manifesting through the current economic pains Nigerians are currently passing through, the various reports of manipulations of electoral processes and the lopsided political appointments in favour of some sections of the country.

Besides, the cleric noted that the disdain treatment by the executive arm towards the nation’s judiciary was a bad omen for the survival of democracy which “is just finding its footing after many years of military rules”.

“Today, Nigerians are battling for survival with no solution on sight to our economic problems. Prices of food and other essential materials keep on rising astronomically everyday with no increment in workers’ wages and we see our leaders arrogantly behaving as if nothing is happening.

“When some of us led protests against the raising of fuel price from N87 to N145, we were told then that this action would help state governors pay workers salaries but seven months after many of the governors in particular the governor of Osun state where I reside are still panting as they were unable to fulfill this promise.

“It is sad that when you go around, you see frustrated and disillusioned Nigerians praying for an unusual intervention in governance. This is unacceptable. Democracy is still the best form of government. But unfortunately, most of our political players are behaving in manners not too good for the continued existence of our nation’s civil rule.

“Is it true that the federal government corruption fight was targeted at only the opposition while members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) are not being prosecuted but are being treated as saints?

“Is it true that soldiers and other paramilitary forces have been helping the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig elections for his party against the will of the people as widely reported in recent elections particularly that of Rivers State?”

Bishop Adeoye urged President Buhari not to just wave aside genuine complaints by Nigerians saying his positive reactions to issues being raised by the people will give them more confidence to trust him as their leaders.

He stated further that even though it appeared that the president has succeeded in stifling the voices of opposition in the country as many critics of his government have gone underground, “I think this is also not good for democracy”.

“At a time too, armed policemen stormed my house in Osogbo looking for what was not lost but when it comes time to speak the truth, I need to do so and I encourage Nigerians too not to keep quiet. Religion leaders, the media and human rights group must help rise up when occasion demands. Like I mentioned, our nation’s democracy is under threat unless we retrace our steps”, he stated.