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Democracy Must Survive

Friday, September 13, 2002

Speech by Governor Abdullahi Adamu, Sarkin Yakin Keffi, in  his capacity as chairman, 2nd Annual Lecture of the Development Policy Centre, Abuja, September 12, 2002

When I received the letter from Professor Ademola Oyejide, executive director of the Development Policy Centre, inviting me to chair this important occasion, I did not hesitate to accept. In my haste I forgot to ask myself: why me? By the time I did, it was too late. My acceptance letter had already been despatched. My haste in accepting to be part of this august gathering was informed by my commitment to all efforts at sustaining and nurturing our fledgling democracy. The fate of democracy in our dear country is in our hands. Occasions such as this help to drive that message home to all Nigerians. None of us can afford the luxury of siddon look at this critical time in Nigeria’s tortuous journey into nationhood.

[Image]I sincerely thank the star-studded governing board of the Development Policy Centre for doing me the honour of entrusting me with the role I am now playing. I congratulate them for instituting this annual lecture series to sensitize Nigerians to the various aspects and problems of our national development. The choice of Democracy and Development in Nigeria, as the topic for this year’s lecture, the second in the series, was well-informed. Democracy and development go together. Nigerians know that much. And that is why they are not just asking for the dividends of democracy, they are more or less asking for the magic of democracy. They expect democracy to solve all their problems if only our leaders would take the trouble to mouth abracadabra. Their trust in the capacity of democracy to deliver the goods without let or hindrance is a good sign that they accept democracy as the best form of government for our country. Their trust in it also reflects their desperation to make our country catch up with other democratic nations throughout the world. You cannot blame them for asking so much to be done so quickly. After so many years of dictatorship in which the nation found itself in the wilderness of confusion and lost opportunities, the desperation of Nigerians for the fruits of democracy must be understandable. But we cannot have, let alone enjoy, the fruits of democracy if, by acts of omission or commission, we stunt its growth.

What have been the dividends of democracy in a little over three years? That question is implied in the topic of our lecture this morning. In my humble view, the governing board could not have made a better choice of the guest lecturer to deal with this important topic. As senate president, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, GCON, is an important and distinguished actor on the contemporary stage of our national politics. The national assembly that he heads and which is the second arm of government under our executive presidential system is critical to democracy and development in Nigeria. I warmly welcome the senate president to this occasion. I have no doubt that he will do great justice to the lecture and at the end of it, we will leave this hall better informed on the problems and prospects of democracy and development in Nigeria.

Alexander Pope cynically advised that for forms of government, "let fools contend." Nigerians are not fools but we found it necessary to contend for the form of government best suited for our multi-ethnic and multi-religious society. We duly settled for democracy as our preferred choice. On May 29, 1999, the military relinquished power and we became a democratic nation again. But within only three years of our country’s return to civil rule, we seem to be taking democracy for granted as if we are already where we wish to be. We must not make the mistake of equating Nigeria’s fledgling democracy with the settled and developed democracies of the United States, Western Europe and other nations. Three decades of military dictatorship destroyed our democratic institutions. We cannot expect democracy to deliver on its promise, unless we make the necessary sacrifices that democracy demands of all of us. The institutions of democracy must be rebuilt. We must cultivate and nurture the democratic culture and the democratic temperament. We must commit ourselves to the defence and the sustenance of democracy.

The bedrock of the democratic culture is respect for and the observance of the rule of law. This important culture is just beginning to take roots. The democratic temperament accommodates and respects differing views and opinions. There is no short cut to cultivating the democratic culture and the democratic temperament. It is a slow process. We must be patient with ourselves. After all, we are all learners. Neither in the executive nor in the legislatures do we have a pool of experienced politicians. We may not be eaglets but we are not papa eagles either as far as the experience of democracy is concerned.

We are worried by the fact that patience appears to be in short supply in the land. The rulers and the ruled are impatient with one another; the executive and the legislatures are also impatient with one another. The blind quest for personal power at all levels is heating up the polity. Ill-advised posturing on all sides puts our democracy under unnecessary stress and raises fears within and without about the survival of democracy in Nigeria. In the last three years, speakers and other principal officers of our national and state legislatives have been removed from office. Several state legislatures in virtual chaos having been split into factions with each side claiming to be the authentic legislators. Several state governors also faced and some still face threats of impeachment. The current threat by the national assembly to impeach the president has raised the political temperature to almost a boiling point. This is bad for our country.

The threat to the president and the factionalisation in the legislative houses give a wrong impression about our capacity to manage our affairs in a democratic setting. This is both unfortunate and regrettable. We need to temper exuberance in the exercise of our constitutional powers with our country’s desire for peace without which there can be no meaningful development and the dividends of democracy will continue to elude our people. Nigeria is bigger than all of us. Hundreds of our fellow men and women have paid the supreme sacrifice in order that Nigeria may survive and remain a united and prosperous nation. May their sacrifice not be in vain.

I call on all patriotic men and women in the country to intervene and seek amicable and urgent resolution of the crisis between the president and the national assembly. Both sides must sheath their swords and join hands to nurture and sustain democracy for which we have given so much for so long. The president and the honourable members of the national assembly have a duty to pull our nation back from the precipice. They must have the courage and the humility to put the nation first and every other thing second. They have rattled the sabre enough. It is time for them to listen to the voices of sanity and ignore the dictates of blind pride. The rest of us, in and out of government, must sincerely and patriotically assist them and stop them from dragging our dear country, like the sacrificial lamb, to the altar of personal pride.

Mr. Senate president, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, it is now my pleasure to call on Chief Anyim to deliver his lecture.

Thank you.

 
 
 

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