CNG Criticizes Nigeria’s Democracy for Favoring Few Politicians

• CNG criticizes Nigeria’s democracy, claiming it prioritizes personal gain over national welfare despite abundant resources
• They highlight economic challenges, including unemployment, inflation, corruption, and insecurity, calling for democratic reform or a system better suited to Nigeria’s context

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has issued a stern critique of Nigeria’s democratic system, alleging that it has been hijacked by a minority of politicians prioritising personal gain over national welfare.

In a statement by Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, the National Coordinator of CNG, the group expressed disappointment with the current state of democracy in Nigeria after twenty-five years of its practice. The statement emphasized that despite the nation’s abundant natural and human resources, democracy has failed to deliver promised benefits such as development, security, and prosperity to most Nigerians.

The CNG highlighted significant economic challenges plaguing the country, including soaring unemployment rates, particularly among youth, and a sharp increase in inflation and interest rates since the return to democratic rule in 1999. They noted a disturbing rise in the number of out-of-school children and criticized the decay of Nigeria’s civil service due to corruption and job racketeering among political elites.

Furthermore, the CNG blamed the economic woes on what they described as years of mismanagement, corruption, and the undue influence of international financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank on Nigeria’s economic policies. They lamented the drastic depreciation of the Naira against the US Dollar, a substantial increase in public debt, and a decline in oil production despite being a major revenue source for the country.

The statement concluded by condemning the impact of democratic governance on security, citing casualties in the North East and North West due to insurgency and displacement of millions of people, which they argue have become normalized under Nigeria’s democratic dispensation.

In essence, the CNG called for a critical evaluation of Nigeria’s democratic journey and suggested either a reformation of the current democratic practices or the adoption of a system more aligned with Nigeria’s cultural and historical contexts to ensure genuine development and people’s participation.