Do Nigerians really want democracy?

If democracy is the way Nigerians hope to pull their country out of the doldrum it currently is, the people have a much longer way to go than they realise. These, at least, are the feelers one gets from the by-elections that took place in Lagos State and other parts of the country this last weekend.

Although the elections have been won and lost in places where they held, there were widespread reports of voter apathy across major areas of Lagos. In fact, many polling booths opened for hours without the benefit of anyone willing to cast their votes; it is a tragedy that should not be told in a country where leadership has become an albatross. But this is the very irony of the situation.

The electorate in the Lagos East Senatorial District would possibly attribute their lackadaisical disposition to the election to a loss of faith in the ability of the leaders to live up to their expectations. They, however, do that without realising that the decision to stay away, would most likely have denied them the opportunity of an alternative that might just have been the change. The electorate in Nigeria must understand the fact that democracy and its growth are a journey. In other words, as long as society exists, it would continue to amend and develop its democratic practices.

There is also a chance that last weekend’s apathy might be because voters did not consider electing a senator to be such a big deal. Rightly so, the executive offices get a lot of respect from Nigerians. This is because those who occupy these offices have access to state resources and are constitutionally empowered to disburse funds, (which some of them have in abundance) without the need to account to anyone. Since politics has become the most lucrative business in the country over the years, citizens should only bother themselves with the election of those who have access to and can disburse funds, a category to which a senator does not belong.

Yet, this is one of the most grievous mistakes that we make. From the very touchy issue of restructuring or gaining a federalist constitution (as some people would rightly describe it) to the questions of legislation on citizenship and other key laws, including appropriation, which can deepen democracy and make life more meaningful for the people are determined by the quality of people elected to the National Assembly.

Nigerians, if they were watchful, would notice that most members of the National Assembly become deaf and dumb whenever issues surrounding the mindless remuneration they receive come up for discussion. What this suggests is that members of the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party are so comfortable with the state of things and they would not attempt to rock the boat regardless of what those who elected them into these offices may think. What a serious citizenry should do at such a juncture is then to systematically eliminate these greedy fellows who want to feed on the resources of the country until death does them part and replace them with fresh people, who would be passionate about the welfare of the people! But how does that happen when you would not even go out to vote?

The turnout at Saturday’s elections is particularly painful because it presented a unique opportunity for youths to register a strong interest in the affairs of the country. These youths, who recently expressed their anger against the status quo in Nigeria through the #EndSARS protests could have explored the elections to show seriousness about effecting change in the governance structure of the country, especially as some of them went a step further from the street protests to promise a retirement of old politicians in the coming years. But it is from Thursday that we should get hints if a Saturday would be bear fruits. If Nigerian youths do not realise that they need to begin to test the waters and show their clout with elections like the one that we saw on Saturday, they are nothing but non-starters!
What this means is that they are again playing into the hands of old foxes who have mastered the game of politics in Nigeria. Given the pervasive poverty perpetuated by years of misgovernance in the country, professional politicians would in the absence of any viable opposition, which serious-minded citizens can provide, employ the massive use of money and other forms of enticements to buy the votes of people and impose stooges who would do their biddings even if it runs against general good.

This is the grave error that Nigerians commit when they refuse to register their voices during elections. The truth is that democracy is an impotent political process without the participation of the people in the leadership selection process. What such lethargy does is to give space to political compradors to take control of the interplay of political and governance issues without involving the people. They then leave the country with nothing but a mere noisy political climate where mighty politicians perpetually trample on the right of the people to choose.
What those who truly want change in Nigeria must begin to do now is prepare to be part of the political process. First, everyone who is eligible must register to vote and obtain their permanent voter cards.

On Election Day, eligible Nigerians must endeavour to vote for candidates of their choice. They should also refuse to be manipulated by political contractors, who profiteer from the poverty of the people. Nigerians, especially the youth, must also dare to participate in political activities. They should join political parties, hold party offices and contest elections to become representatives of the people.

Everyone, including those who have and are still misgoverning Nigeria agree that the country is at a crossroads. Everyone also agrees that democracy is the way out for the country but there is also an understanding that the majority of those in the business of politics in Nigeria have no business being there.

The truth is that the average Nigerian politician is driven by hunger and such self-aggrandisement rather than a true sense of service that you find amongst politicians in other places. This is why desperation rules politics in Nigeria and those who get into office are ready to stay there until they can no longer breathe. It is also why the people cannot rest on their oars until true change manifests regardless of the quantum and number of disappointments that we encounter from voting in people who fail at their promises.

Former French leader, Charles De Gaulle, said politics is too serious a business to leave in the hands of politicians. By that, he means that the people must continue to monitor the performance of politicians and use the opportunity to elections present to increase the potential for change.

We must continue to renew our faith in democracy and as a pregnant woman looks forward to bringing forth, work at it until we find people whose mission in politics is nothing but service. But even then, the citizens cannot go to sleep. It takes national consciousness and eternal vigilance as well as a consistent and courageous display of collective desire to remove the barriers deliberately foisted by political buccaneers who want to reduce the people of the most populous black country in the world to onlookers in their own affairs.

Adedokun tweets@niranadedokun