Democracy not yet working in Nigeria, says Delta Pioneer Speaker, Okoro

By Raw Reporters 

As the nation observes this year’s Democracy Day, the Pioneer Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and Special Adviser to the Governor on Rural and Community Development, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Okoro, Ph.D, has expressed concern that the present democratic situation in Nigeria is yet to deliver dividends of democracy to Nigerians. 

Dr. Okoro, in a statement through his Special Assistant on Media, Comrade Victory Oku, to commemorate Nigeria’s Democracy Day which coincides with the 29th anniversary of the June 12, 1993 elections, noted that the ritual practice is yet to add value to our political and socio-economic development.

He recalled Nigeria's Democracy Day previously held annually on May 29, the anniversary of the inauguration of the Fourth Republic, and how on June 6, 2018, the federal government declared June 12 Nigeria's new Democracy Day in honour of the memory of Chief Moshood Abiola, who won the June 12, 1993 election that was annulled by the military regime of Ibrahim Babangida, and therefore described MKO Abiola and his wife, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola as icons of democracy, who should be emulated.

Speaking on the significance of the day, Dr. Okoro enjoined  Nigerian politicians to imbibe the culture of true democrats, and place the good of the country beyond personal gains, stressing that progress cannot be made when people are suffering from economic quagmire and insecurity nightmare. 

"We must tell ourselves the truth that we Nigerians particularly the political leadership are not yet working for the growth of the country's Democracy, as non of us is working towards power devolution, restructuring and practicing true federalism. 

"We have continued to remain in one circle, where successive political leaders  would come, rule and after his tenure, another person will come, rule his own and without putting in place true Democratic principles that would put Nigeria in the committee of developed country.

"People need to come to an understanding that to grow a nation under democracy, we must learn to organise within the ambits of democratic tenets with like-minded individuals to cause a change from within to improve our union. That is how nations evolve and develop the capacity to meet the aspirations of a greater number of people.

"What democracy cannot do and would not do is to satisfy the agitations and yearnings of everybody, but it has the capacity to meet the aspiration of the greater majority at every point in time.

"The ideas for which June 12 stands is beyond just dedicating a day to it; June 12 stands for good governance that would provide the yearnings and aspiration of the average man irrespective of their religious or ethnic affiliations.

"On June 12, 1993, Nigerians stood against ethnic or religious jingoism, tyranny and stiffening of freedom of the press and thought. Unfortunately, these ills are continually on the rise with Nigerians becoming more divided across ethnic and religious lines by the day.

"In order for democracy to work well in Nigeria, and for us to meet up with the challenges of economic, religious and security problems, we must operate

true federalism and have a President that will abide by the principle of devolution of power."