DESPITE the challenges of nation-building, Nigeria has been described as a “Democracy Destination undergoing democratic consolidation” contrary to some recent high-profile criticism of the prospects of democratic process in Africa.
Recently both former President Olusegun Obasanjo and erstwhile governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, had claimed that “democracy was dying in Africa and Nigeria”.
However, the Director General of the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour studies (MINILS) Comrade Issa Aremu, took exception to what he called “new Democracy-pessimism fad” by those he said “without democracy would not have been able to exhibit their limited leadership ability in the past”.
Aremu spoke at separate interventions on the side-line of the 2025 Ramadan lecture of the Institute held in Ilorin and at Arewa House, Kaduna during the Special Prayers to mark the 73rd birthday of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu organized by Arewa Think Tank Group last Saturday.
Aremu observed that it was time for Nigerians to deepen and consolidate the democratic process adding that “democratic optimism must not in any way give way to democratic despair in Africa”.
“With 19 registered political parties, 93,469,008 total voters registered, 176,846 polling units in Nigeria, 7 concluded presidential elections since 1999, 5 elected presidents, 2 elected twice, one graciously accepting loss of election, hundreds of state, National Assembly elections and bye-elections, active media, vibrant organized trade unions and civil society, freedoms of assembly and expressions, Nigeria is a model of how democracy lives, not dying,” Aremu stated.
The Director General cautioned the media to “report but also profile the messengers of messages of despair and doom” for discerning citizens for informed judgement about them. Aremu said both former President Obasanjo and former Governor Peter Obi suffer what he called “bring-down-what-I-cannot-control-syndrome”.
He added that democracy is alive not only for those who necessarily do not have their way all the time but still kept faith in the ballot.
“Afro-democracy” is another subterfuge for a call to authoritarianism by OBJ, Democracy is not divisible, it is according to 1999 constitution. It was simple majority that made OBJ president twice, Peter Obi governor and a failed presidential candidate in 2023. Any resort to red herring that democracy is dying because the duo are out and dry elsewhere, power is unhelpful and self-serving”.
“Following the death of President Hage Geingob on 4 February 2024, Namibia just successfully conducted election to inaugurate first female President Nangolo Mbumba who once served as vice-president. Senegal last year elected 45-year-old Bassirou Diomaye Faye, while Amadou Ba, the candidate of the ruling United in Hope (BBY) coalition, peacefully conceded defeat. OBJ must be operating from outer space to say Democracy is dying Africa,” Aremu said.
He said the challenges of development in Africa call for more democracy through quality control measures of politics of ideologies and programme not doubt and scaremongering about democracy, adding that the military juntas in Mali, Bukina Faso and Niger must give way to free and fair elections for legitimacy.
Comrade Aremu, who was also the Director of the Labour Directorate of Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) during 2023 campaign, described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as an “audacious” reformer who legitimately “can and should run for second term in 2027 to consolidate on his achievements in the labour sector”.
Aremu also described the recently approved N758 billion bond to settle long standing pension liabilities by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as “a timely welcome act of compassion, statesmanship and good governance” in the country’s pension market adding that the measure was the most impactful of the Renewed Hope Agenda in labour market after the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act ”.
