Many Nigerians equate democracy to looting —Dogo, Middle Belt leader

Dr. Isuwa Dogo, the national publicity secretary of the Middle Belt Forum, in this interview by ISAAC SHOBAYO, speaks on political issues in relation to Democracy Day in the country. Excerpts:

WITH the recognition of June 12 as Democracy Day, will you say that the present administration has assuaged the feelings of Nigerians over what led to the annulment of presidential election?

They have not addressed the problem associated with June 12 in Nigeria, what every Nigerian need is good governance and it starts with protection of lives and properties. All the so call dividends of democracy we claimed we should have and which each government that comes and claimed they have provided, we don’t see it, we can’t feel it even perceive it in anyway. This government in particular is even worse, worse in the sense that so much money is being borrowed and little is done, if not nothing is being seen, we are yet to see what they have done with the money. Insecurity is worse than ever before, when we say there is war , it does not necessarily means that one section is against another but what we have in Nigeria is worse than war across the whole country because hardly is any part of Nigeria that you have peace.  We are simply managing to survive, if you have risen to certain level you will be afraid to go out, you get on the road and feel insecure because of either kidnapping or banditry. So everything is at the zero count down.

So, does it mean that democracy has no meaning to an average Nigerian?

Democracy has meaning, it is the desire of everybody to have freedom to choose who should lead him, and it is the desire of everybody to have the grace to stand to elect those that should lead them. In Nigeria it is not an exaggeration to say that many people look at the democracy in the context of looting not service. In the context of how they would become rich from the local government to the federal level not in term of service that is why there is no reason to find senator owing jet, there is no reason to find members of House of Representatives owing house left, right and center. Also, there is no reason for local government chairman to build mansions if it is not looting, the lifestyle they live is a complete opposite of what democracy is all about because they have accumulated and taking off everything and nothing is given to the people and also that is why they can own houses outside the country. Let me be honest with you, a benevolent military government is better than autocratic deceitful looting democratic government. When I talk of benevolence, I mean what I am saying, South Korea developed because they have a benevolent military government, we have many countries in the world that have developed like that but what they did along the line is to turn it to democratic government and their democracy has lasted because the people go there to serve not to loot.   We need reorientation in Nigeria, otherwise people will not spend so much trying to get into public office if they are not going to make profit; that is why they are ready to die and hire people to kill and get there to pay themselves to the best of their abilities.

 What are the challenges of democracy in Nigeria?

The challenge of democracy in Nigeria is that a lot of us, the good people simply look at democracy as a bad place to be. Religious organizations will say these politicians are thieves, that is not the case we must all join hands and elect good people weather they have money or not. If the churches and mosques can spend time to preach to their congregations that look if you continue to elect people because they are bribing you and giving you money you are committing murder and suicide in a gradual manner but vote for those you known that have the quality and integrity things will definitely change. In the developed world those leaders at time would be in a plane, train or in a bus you won’t be able to spot them because of their lifestyle. We must all join hands to make our democracy work. The leaders we have now bribe the media to lie about their achievements. Also, we are not training our security apparatus the way they should be trained and virtually pay them nothing and out of frustration they commit a lot of havoc, criminalities on the roads.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Buy and read digital replicas of your TRIBUNE titles by subscribing through E-VENDING

Why Schools Must Remain Shut For Now ― Minister
PARENTS and school children anxious for reopening schools will have to wait a little more as the Federal Government on Monday insisted that the schools remain shut for now. Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, speaking on Monday at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 news briefing described as fake news timetables purported released from the Ministry of Education on the conduct of West African Examination Council examinations being circulated on the social media… Read full story

After Pressure From Govs, Buhari Delays Gazetting Of Executive Order On Autonomy For State Legislatures, Judiciary
Pressured by state governors, President Muhammadu Buhari has agreed to delay the gazetting of Executive Order 10, which he recently signed, to grant autonomy to state legislature and judiciary… Read full story

COVID-19: Nigeria Records 315 New Cases, Total Now 12,801
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 315 new cases of COVID-19 in the country, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 12,801… Read full story

60% Of 979 Mysterious Deaths In Kano Due To COVID-19 ― PTF
The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 (PTF) said on Monday that a total of 979 deaths were recorded in April in Kano, during what was popularly known as Kano mysterious deaths. The Task Force, however, revealed during its daily briefing on Monday that 50 per cent to 60 per cent of the mysterious deaths were due to… Read full story

Nigeria’s Economy To Contract By 3.2% As Global Economy Shrinks By 5.2% ― World Bank
The World Bank, on Monday, projected a 3.2 per cent contraction for Nigeria’s economy even as it said that the global economy would shrink by 5.2 per cent as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tribune Online reports that the World Bank’s projection is 0.2 per cent lower than the one announced by the Federal Government in… Read full story

AfDB: Organised Labour Calls On US, World Powers To Respect African Choice
The Organised Labour has unanimously called on the United States (US) and other world powers with interests in the African Development Bank (AfDB) to allow the will and choice of African countries who are satisfied with the stewardship of Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, as President of the bank… Read full story

As COVID-19 Bites Harder, Nigeria Risks Food Crisis
No doubt, the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has had a great impact on global food production where farmers find it difficult to access their farms and inputs due to lockdown or fear of being infected. Some international food organisations in the recent past had raised alarm over the looming food crisis if… Read full story

Gov Sule Sacks SSG
Gov Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has sacked the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Aliyu Ahmed-Tijani.Ahmed-Tijjani was Commissioner for Education in the administration of Sen. Umaru Al-Makura, immediate past governor of the state… Read full story

Provide Corruption Evidence Against NASS Members, Group Tells NDDC
A group of concerned youth in Delta State under the auspices of Progressive Delta Youths (PDY) has challenged the management of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to make public the evidence of corruption linking members of the National Assembly to any form of fraud in the Commission… Read full story

COVID-19: Nigeria Has Carried Out 80,000 Tests ― PTF
After 100 days Nigeria recorded its index COVID-19 case, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 pandemic said it had tested 80,000 citizens for the infection. It has also built its testing laboratory capacity from two to 30 with a laboratory in every geopolitical zone in the country, providing increased access to testing… Read full story

Delta Cleric Charged With Alleged Rape As Victim Narrates Sexual Encounter
The Founder/General Overseer of Victory Revival Fasting and Prayer Ministry, Bishop Elijah Orhonigbe, was on Monday in Warri, Delta State arraigned in court for the alleged rape of a teenage girl in the church auditorium. The nineteen-year-old girl (name withheld) was allegedly raped during a private deliverance… Read full story

Nigerian Students Deny Harassment Claims Against Chinese Government
A group of Nigerian students studying in China under the auspices of Coalition of Nigerian Students in China (CNSC), has denied claims that Nigerians in the country are being harassed the Chinese government. President of the group, Umar Abukabar, in a statement made available to the media on Monday, in Abuja, denounced… Read full story

EDITORIAL: Barakat Bello: Yet Another Rape Killing
WHILE Nigerians were still reeling in shock over the case of Vera Omozuwa, a year-one student of Microbiology at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Edo State, who was raped and then bludgeoned to death by her assailants with a fire extinguisher while studying at the Miracle Sanctuary Mega Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Benin, their sensibilities were again assaulted by yet another barbaric incident… Read full story