Democracy in Nigeria has witnessed improvement with recent elections ― Fayemi

Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi has stated that democracy in Nigeria has witnessed a significant improvement with the defeat of a sitting president in 2015 and the outcome of 2019 general elections adjudged to be one of the best in the history of Nigeria.

Dr Kayode disclosed this on Tuesday while presenting a lecture to the Executive Course 41, 2019 entitled: “20 years of Democratisation in Nigeria: Looking Backward, Moving Forward” organised by National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, Plateau State.

The Chairman Nigeria Governors Forum who enjoined Nigerians to have hope and faith in the present administration added that Nigeria cannot afford a nation that glamourises plagues and despairs but a nation that democratises hope and faith in the nation and encourages peace and progress.

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“The 2015 election marked significant progress in our electoral reform as it saw a change of power from one political party to the other, which the incumbent PDP losing to the new APC. The outcome of the election was generally accepted to be free, fair and credible.

“The 2019 election that just held early in the year also followed the same pattern, although there were still skirmishes here and there, the electoral system has been a radical improvement from what it had been before 2015.

“This observed improvement is largely because the INEC management has become more resilient, courageous and Independent. In the just-concluded election, INEC disqualified the entire candidates of the governing APC in Zamfara and Rivers for not satisfying the electoral law. ”

Dr Fayemi pointed out that 2003 and 2007 General Elections were characterised with violence, the imposition of candidates, thuggery, brigandage among others, especially in the South-West geopolitical zone.

“Regrettably, the 2003 election was another kettle. The election was generally characterised with violence, especially in the South West and that heralded the era of garrison politics and political brigandage in the current republic adding that as bad as the 2003 elections, the 2007 election was even worse.

He narrated that electoral managers did not hide their bias and clearly aided and abetted daylight electoral robbery adding that he was one of the victims of a horrendous machination of violence, thuggery, brigandage, maiming, arsons and all manner of unimaginable heists.

The governor of Ekiti State further declared that a socially bankrupt nation cannot achieve any rightful democratisation, except to democratise crises, instability, insecurity and poverty.

The Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies Kuru, Prof. Habu Galadima said there is a need to encouraged Internal democracy to give people in the grassroots a sense of belonging.

He said the Local Government level should be given more attention because that is where the population of Nigeria are found.