Saturday 22 June 2019

20 YEARS OF DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA

'Since 1999, the Presidency has exceeded the role and powers prescribed by the constitution.
 Besides, over-concentration of power in the hands of Governors is indeed a fallacy'
 - Mahmud Jega

The above quote represents the mood at the public event organised by CDD to commemorate the 20th anniversary of democracy in Nigeria. The following were at the event:

*Prof. Bayo Olukoshi, Director, IDEA - Chairman
*Mahmud Jega, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Daily Trust newspapers - Keynote speaker
*Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Governor, Ekiti state - Speaker
*Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa, Conflict Transformation Expert - Participant
*Hafsat Abiola, Founder, KIND - Speaker
*Aisha Osori, Executive Director, OSIWA - Speaker
*Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, Fmr. Minister - Speaker

The occasion was also in memory of two deceased champions of democratic ideals on the African continent - Dr. Tajudeen Abdulrahman (died 10 years ago) and Prof. Abubakar Momoh (died 2 years ago). The consensus was that 'If the battle of yesterday was to rid ourselves of Military rule, today's challenge is to regain our citizenship'.

It was noted that the representation of women in parliament and indeed politics in general, falls short of expectation and it is the lowest in Africa. The masochistic and 'masculinist' nature of Nigeria's politics needs to evolve into a milieu where women are allotted safe spaces to ensure  their effective participation in politics. The June 12 saga shows that no matter how long a lie is brandished as the truth, the victim could be vindicated posthumously!

The nature of politics in Nigeria is essentially transactional. This needs to change. As far as the practice of democracy is concerned, we should never let the perfect be the enemy of the little progress we've made. Political parties remain limited liability companies of their founders. This needs to be interrogated in order to allow for internal Party democracy. There are three major areas where citizens need to engage their leaders - Democratic norms, local government issues and citizens' rights.

On the whole, it was realised that democracy is work in progress which we should never tire of fine-tuning...

Related Links

*Lessons from the history of democracy   https://t.co/1ZyIzAHPJg
*20 proposals to strengthen democracy & resolve electoral conflicts    by Ken Cloke    https://lnkd.in/dj-DQJM
*Mo Ibrahim: Addressing Africa's governance issues   https://www.thebanker.com/Reports/International-Meetings/View-from-IMF-World-Bank/Mo-Ibrahim-addressing-Africa-s-governance-issues?
*Lamentation for Nigeria @ 59   https://www.sunnewsonline.com/tears-sorrow-blood-lamentation-for-nigeria-at-59/
*Edo 2020: Blueprint for better elections in Nigeria   https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/09/edo-2020-blueprint-for-better-elections-in-nigeria
*Religion & the consolidation of democracy in Mali: The dog that doesn't bark  http://demanddevelopmentjournal.org/.../religion-consolidation-democracy-mali/
*Over 40 companies demonstrate IT solutions as INEC moves towards E-voting  https://newsdiaryonline.com/over-40-companies-demonstrate-it-solutions-as-inec-moves-towards-e-voting
*Democracy works better when there is less of it   ft.com/content/f68c13a4_1130
*Ideological convergence vs differentiation in Party ideology in Nigeria's 4th Republic   https://www.ifra-nigeria.org/.../387online-workshop-14-convergence/
*Shielding elections from Presidential influence: Lessons from Cape Verde, Comoros & Madagascar   issafrica.org/research/africa-report/shielding-elections-from-presidential-influence/
*Private gain must no longer be allowed to edge out the public good   aeon.co/ideas/private-gain-must-no-longer-be-allowed-to-edge-out-the-public-good/
*Pursuing status quo or regime change? A critical analysis of external influence on Presidential term limits in Africa   https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-
*Gambia opposition laments failure of bid to curb term limit   https://www.reuters.com/...gambia-opposition-laments-failure-of-bid-to-curb-term-limit
*Nigeria: Cultural, economic & political undercurrents in Edo election, September 2020 by CDD   https://www.cddwestafrica.org/.../edo-governorship-election  #EdoElection  #EdoLivesMatter  #CDDAnalysisCentre
*Edo governorship election & the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria by Jibrin Ibrahim   https://opinion.premiumtimesng.com/2020/09/25/edo-governorship election-consolidate-democracy/
*Information influence: Disinformation during Edo's 2020 gubernatorial election - The role of social media   https://www.cddwestafrica.org/.../information-influence-disinformation/
*Edo poll voter turnout decline worrisome in spite of credible conduct - CDD   https://www.vanguardngr.com.cdd.ampproject.org/.../amp/  
*Nigeria: Mainstreaming Constituency needs into Legislative Agenda   https://leadership.ng/.../mainstreaming-constituency-needs-agenda.../
*How democracies die by Steven Levitsky et al   https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com>books>how-democracies-die...
*Africa needs to decolonise the democratic model to include responsive & afro-centric practices   https://twitter.com/MatlosaKhabele
*Why good leaders make us feel safe   ted.com/talks/simon-sinek-why-good-leaders-make-us-feel-safe/
*A new Eurafrica partnership by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Mo Ibrahim & Etienne Darignon   https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/eu-africa-cooperation-jobs-migration-by-ellen-johnson-sirleaf-et-al-2019
*Democracy is damaged when people are afraid to speak out   https://m.economictimes.com/opinion/interviews/democracy-is-damaged-when-people-are-afraid-to-speak-out-amartya-sen/
*Liberian lawmakers cut their salaries to save money for citizens in 2020 budget   https://www.legit.ng/1266043-liberia-lawmakers-cut-salaries-by-30-cent-budget.html
*Can we can create an empathic alternative to the capitalist market?   https://bigthink.com/politics-current-affairs/empathy-capitalism
*Nigeria: Lessons from 8th NASS & need to improve legislative representation   https://www.legit.ng/1266575-opinion-lessons-8th-assembly-improve-legislative-representation-by-moshood-isah.html
*Democracy is not for sale, INEC warns vote buyers   https://www.thecable.ng/democract-is-not-for-sale-inec
*The facade of liberal democracy   https://africasacountry.com/2019/10/the-facade-of-liberal-democracy/
*Need for progressive synergy between the executive and the legislative arms of government   https://www.legit.ng/1268967-opinion-need-progressive-synergy-between-executive-legislative-arms-of-government/
*The history of riot shows the importance of democratic tumult by Antonia Malchik   https://aeon.co/essays/the-history-of-riot-shows...
*The Executive Branch by Harry Truman   https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/education/three-branches/executive-branch.../
*The future of democracy in Africa   issafrica.org/research/papers/the-future-democracy-africa/
*Putting governance at the centre of Africa's development   mo.ibrahim.foundation/
*We have advanced Nigeria's democracy - YIAGA Africa   https://www.blueprint.ng/we-have-advanced-nigerias-democracy
*Infinity &beyond: Governance in fragile states   chrisunderwoodsblog.com
*Democracy is damaged when people are afraid to speak out   https://m.economictimes.com/opinion/interviews/democracy-is-damaged-when-people-afraid-speak-out/
*What Nigeria must do to avoid World Bank's 'worst case scenario'   allafrica.com/stories/202001210002.html/
*West Africa's key polls in 2020: Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Togo   https;//buff.ly/2RjTMwT
*Monarchies are gradually disappearing   https://theweek.com/articles/889866/monarchies-are-fast-disappearing/
*Political Vigilante Groups in Ghana's democratic governance: Some policy options   https://www.ssrc.org/publications/view/political-vigilante-groups-in-ghanas-democratic governance
*Nigeria: Political Parties' de-registration & next steps   https://newsdiaryonline.com/political-parties-deregistration-next-steps/
*What's behind rising authoritarianism?   https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/whats-behind-rising-authoritarianism/
*Why Foucault's work on 'power' is important   aeon.co/essays/why-foucaults-work-on-power-is-important/
*Democracy must not become the silent victim of the CoV pandemic - Kofi Annan Foundation   kofiannanfoundation.org/articles/open-letter-democracy-must-not-become-the-silent-victim-of-cov-pandemic/
*Policy on 'Conducting elections in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic'   https://www.inecnigeria.org/wp-content/upoloads/2020/05/inec-policy-on-conducting-elections-in-covid-19.pdf
*INEC okays e-voting for 2021   https://t.co/90zawzdV6q?amp=1
*Why democracies do better at surviving pandemics   chatamhouse.org/expert/comment/why-democracies-do-better-at-managing-pandemics/
*The role of CSOs in a democracy   https://nickopoku.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-role-of-csos.html
*What is the Mali coup telling Africa?   https://allafrica.com/stories/202008270717.html
*Political insecurity in West Africa: A call for democratic stability & peaceful elections   https://www.wanep.org/wanep/index.php?opinion...political-insecurity-in-west-africa-call-for-democratic-stability-peaceful-elections
*Elections amid Covid-19 and public safety   https://nextierspd.com/elections-amid-covid-19-public-safety
*Africa rising: Navigating the nexus between rhetoric & emerging reality   https://lnkd.in/gpUxbce
*Mali: Lessons on elections for Nigeria & West Africa   theafricareport.com 
*3rd term for Presidents of Cote d'Ivoire & Guinea must be stopped   https://issafrica.org/iss-today/third-terms-for-presidents-of-cotedivoire-guinea-must-be-topped/
*Good governance as the lynchpin for Africa's progress in the face of Covid-19 & climate threats   https://news.trust.org/item/2020092.../
*Analysis: Trump's Covid-19 diagnosis throws US November 2020 election into chaos, threatens governing crisis   https://cnn.it/3jCtOR
*US: Christianity, character & the Presidency   https://link.medium.com/
*Nigeria: Ondo election: Police arrests many for electoral offences   guardian.ng
*Ondo Gubernatorial election: Up to N600,000 allocated for vote buying per polling unit - CDD    https://punch,ng.com/up-to-n600000-allocated-for-vote-buying-per-polling-booth   #CDDAnalysisCentre  #OndoDecides 2020
*Mali's transitional government: The danger of the junta clinging to power   https://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_malis_transitional_government.../
*Constitutional Review & the Restructuring of the Nigerian Federation by Friends of Democracy   opinion.premiumtimesng.com/2020/10/14/constitutional-review-restructuring-nigerian-federation/
*It is not about dismantling SARS, it is about democratising Nigeria by Jibrin Ibrahim   newsdiaryonline.com/its-not-about-dismantling-sars-its-about-democratising-nigeria/
*Violent reprisal of peaceful protests constitute dangerous assault on citizens' Constitutional rights - CDD    https;//www.cddwestafrica.org/violent-reprisal-peaceful-protest-assault-on-constitutional-rights-of-citizens/
*Polls in peril: West Africa's 2020 elections - CDD   cddwestafrica.org
*INEC's conduct of Ondo guber poll improvement on Edo poll - CDD   https://m.guardian.ng/politics/inecs-conduct-ondo-polls-improvement-on-edo.../
*Power failure: Why have young people fallen out of love with democracy?   theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/20/power-failure-why-young-people-dont-like-democracy/
*INEC, new normal & Nigeria's quest for credible elections   guardian.ng/politics/inec-new-normal-nigerias-quest-credible-elections/
*Towards human rights approach to citizenship & nationality struggles in Africa   demanddevelopmentjournal.org
*YIAGA Africa's memo submitted to the Nigerian Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights & Legal Matters on the Bill for an Act on The Protection from Internet Falsehood & Manipulations & for other related matters   https://www.yiaga.org/social-media-bill-not-reasonably-justifiable--in-a-democratic-society/
*Polls in peril: West Africa's 2020 elections   cddelibrary.org
*The task ahead for the newly re-elected INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu   https://leadership.ng/as-inec-boss-braces-up-for-task-ahead/
*INEC releases 2019 election report, recommends electronic voting   premiumtimesng.com/news/424921-inec-releases-2019-election-report.../
*Higher stakes with the re-appointment of INEC boss   https://www.legit.ng/1381507-opinion-higher-stakes.../
*Nigeria spending more on elections, but voter turn out keeps decreasing    premiumtimesng.com
*Politics, dialogue & the evolution of democracy   goodmediapress.com
*Imaging shows how the brain drives political divides   webmd.com
*There's a crack in everything, that's how light gets in - Leonard Cohen on Democracy & its redemption    https://www.brainspickings.org/2016/11/10/leonard-cohen-democracy/    
*How to save democracy from technology    www-foreignaffairs-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states-2020-11-24/fukuyama.../
*Africa watches Ghana's 'boring' Presidential race with envy: Relative lack of violence, vote rigging, etc    ft.com
*Nigeria's 2023 elections: In pursuit of electoral reforms that serve the common good - Samson Itodo   https://opinion.premiumtimesng.com/.../nigerias-2023-elections.../ 
*Ghana's opposition candidate, Mahama, rejects election results    punchng.com
*'Policy, dialogue & the evolution of democracy' by Ken Cloke    https;//www.goodmediapress.com/product-page/politics-dialogue-the-evolution-of-democracy
*Why democracy thrives in some countries and not in others    economist.com
*When we take democracy for granted    https://www.linhedin.com/pulse/when-we-take-democracy-granted-arne-sorenson/
*America's lessons for African dictators    mg.co.za/africa/2021-01.../    via mail&guardian




 

   










                                       


Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa @ the event