The core values and key principles of democracy across nations of the world are constantly undergoing strains and trials that either result in steady growth through a set of precedents or gradual mortification of the ideals that set it apart from other forms of government ever known to man. That is why it has been widely canvassed that democracy dies slowly through erosion, apathy, and the gradual weakening of norms—rather than through the impact and thrust of sudden coups. This has remained a key concern across the ages. The concept of democracy fading, waning or suffering slow extinction was captured by Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Levitsky when they maintained that
‘Democracy rarely dies in a single moment, instead, it is chipped away via abdication…’
A key voice in the study of the erosion of democracy has remained Robert Maynard Hutchins, an American educational philosopher. He happened to have been the 5th president and chancellor of the University of Chicago, and earlier dean of Yale Law School. He maintained that the death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush; it will rather be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment. Democracy is centered on the people and nourished by values entrenched in the citizens, institutions and structures. The erosion of the values may come slow rather than abrupt. When elite conspiracy defines the people out of democratic process especially of leadership emergence ,then, there are already danger signals of system hijack. When the values that nourish democracy, instead of being nutured towards organic growth begin to wane, vanish or be eroded, democracy has been ambushed and its death, evidently, becomes predictable. And so it is generally believed that Democracy rarely dies with a shout, instead it fades with the silence of those who stop defending it. Nigeria’s democracy is obviously feeling the impact of malnourishment of the dynamic afflatus of a multiparty setting. The practitioners of the fourth estate therefore have a historic duty to serve and save Nigeria and her fading democracy.
Some have maintained that democracy doesn’t die with a bang but fades when truth is silenced and institutions begin to surrender. In times such as we have come to find ourselves, one readily remembers the aphorism of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe’s West African Pilot which maintained that the Press should Show the light and the people will find the way. The Pilot was established in November of 1937 and did play a frontline role in the crusade for Nigeria’s independence. Nigeria is currently facing another defining moment in history and there’s an urgent need to show the light for the people to find the way. And in doing this, the words of Uthman Dan Fodio , incidentally the motto of Guardian flagship, Conscience is an open wound, only truth can heal it comes readily to mind.
Margaret Atwood also reminds us that the fabric of democracy is always fragile everywhere because it depends on the will of citizens to protect it.
From the current political scene in Nigeria, Peter Obi strikes a chord when he reminds us all that ‘Democracy dies when it ceases to be accountable to the people…’ In the same vein, former American President, Barack Obama urges lovers of democracy across the world to be responsibly at alert as our democracy is threatened whenever we take it for granted.
It was indeed a politically tensed weekend with the All Progressive Congress (APC) holding its elective convention at the Eagles Square Abuja from where there emerged a new national working committee.
Interestingly, news reports also had it that as the PDP goes ahead with its congress, support for President Tinubu was also igniting fresh rumbles in the two factions whose leadership have been dancing naked in the market place in the bid to hold the party down for external interests. This is one experience of the chipping out of the block of our democratic experience.
In what was tagged reconciliation efforts ahead of yesterday’s national convention, the kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led camp of the People’s Democratic Party, said the party will not back President Tinubu in 2027. The Nyeson Wike camp however is rooting for the support of Tinubu who is sure to fly the flag of the APC in 2027 elections.
That the Support for President Tinubu, who will run on the platform of the APC is one of the contentious issues tearing the two camps of the PDP apart remains an unfathomable political absurdity of our time. The expectation is that the party puts its house in order for the emergence of its presidential flag bearers come 2027. Anything short of that is a political conjectural anathema that signals the erosion of the true values and essence of democracy.
Somebody needs to remind the political gladiators of the PDP that it is improper, unjust, and fundamentally unfair for an opposition party to endorse the presidential candidate of another party.
In a pluralistic society like Nigeria, a one-party state, or a situation where other parties become appendages of the ruling party signals the erosion of healthy democratic culture. The President took time out at the convention to clarify that the APC is not desirous of a one party State. The indicators towards that are however too strong to be dismissed by a mere reference in a party convention speech.
The weekend saw 32 governors, 8,450 delegates in Abuja for a consensus convention
President Bola Tinubu, members of his cabinet, as well as 32 state governors and 8,453 delegates from across the country, participated in the National Convention from Friday to Saturday.
The convention produced New National Working Committee even as President Tinubu defends reforms and signals economic recovery
Nentawe Yilwatda emerged as the party’s National Chairman, while Surajudeen Basiru was elected National Secretary. Other key officials include Felix Morka as Publicity Secretary and Dayo Israel, who retained his position as Youth Leader.
The Convention Election Committee formally announced the NWC members during the 4th Elective National Convention.
In his acceptance speech, Yilwatda described his re-election as a call to greater service, pledging commitment to party unity and national development.
Addressing the gathering, President Tinubu maintained that Nigeria remains on a steady path to recovery despite prevailing challenges. He acknowledged the difficulty of ongoing reforms but emphasized their necessity.
There is no doubting the position that our democracy is healthier and the future more assured when views and policy options are ventilated through a multi-party platform.
