- Not only have our institutions been stripped of their independence and ability to objectively and impartially carry out the tasks they are legally saddled with, but they’ve also become a personal tool with which he seeks to actualise his disturbing political goals
It’s a norm, convention even, for the president to give a national on democracy day, but President Tinubu did not give one on the occasion of Nigeria’s 25th anniversary of unbroken democracy. He, however, opted to speak to members of the National Assembly, where he spoke on a range of issues, chief of which is the growing concern among Nigerians of the country’s descent into a one-party state.
In recent months, the Nigerian political landscape has been rocked by high-profile defections from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress. This development has heightened fear and concern among Nigerians, who are displeased about the trajectory the nation’s politics and democracy are taking and are worried Nigeria may be descending into a one-party state.
During his speech at the national assembly on Thursday, Tinubu claimed he was not out to destroy opposition parties and that he is committed to the ideals of a multi-party system democracy. On paper, this is a remarkable and pleasing statement which, to some extent, may calm the nerves of those who are seemingly concerned about the direction of the nation’s democracy. But in reality, his speech is the very opposite of what his government and, by extension, his party are doing to Nigeria’s democracy. He claims he is not forcing politicians from the opposition party to the APC, but the facts available do not support his claim. One of the reasons opposition politicians are flocking to APC is the systemic weakening of critical institutions.
Tinubu said the thought of a one-party state is not one he will ever harbour. We can’t read Tinubu’s mind, so we can’t make an educated guess on what he is thinking, but we can surely see his moves and actions, and they are definitely not that of a man who makes conscious efforts to strengthen and deepen our democracy. Not only have our institutions been stripped of their independence and ability to objectively and impartially carry out the tasks they are legally saddled with, but they’ve also become a personal tool with which he seeks to actualise his disturbing political goals.
Aside from the destruction of these institutions, the principle of separation of power has been severely eroded under him, with the judiciary and legislation willingly and unabashedly doing the bidding of the executive that Tinubu leads. Never in the history of Nigeria has the nation had a judiciary that is as malleable as the one it has now? The country has also never had a federal legislature that is as pliant and amenable as the one it has now. The situation is so unsettling that many Nigerians no longer trust the judiciary as they no longer have faith in the justice system as the palladium of Nigerians’ liberty and hope of the common man. A president under whom the other two key arms of government have been reduced to nothing more than willing participants in the desecration of our democracy can’t claim to be a champion of a thriving multi-party system.
The inability of the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct free, fair and credible elections does not lend credence to Tinubu’s claim that he has no interest in turning Nigeria into a one-party state. In fact, one of the factors responsible for the gale of defection to the APC is how increasingly difficult it is becoming for opposition to win elections, not because they don’t have what it takes to win in an open contest and a free and credible election but because INEC in cahoots with the APC is always willing and ready to either actively rig the election in favour of the APC or look the other way while the APC carry out the rigging in favour of its candidates. Tinubu can’t claim to be against a one-party state and then brazenly use INEC to manipulate the outcome of elections to keep his party in power.
For instance, it is a known fact that corruption and malfeasance that envelop his government are part of his grand strategy to consolidate his power. While he allows those serving in his government and his party to act as they want without consequences, he uses the threat of prosecution to hound, blackmail and coerce opposition parties leading figures into joining the APC and using the funds and resources to secure his re-election.
Tinubu may talk good game and make so much song and dance about his opposition to a one-party state but his actions and deeds clearly betray his thoughts and intentions. Many discerning Nigerians can see through his posturing and shenanigans.
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