Nigeria’s democracy is thriving; no military coup in 24 years: AUDA-NEPAD

“The 2023 general elections, which marked 24 years of the country’s unbroken democracy in a stretch since its independence, was a major milestone.”

News Agency of Nigeria • September 8, 2023

Olusegun Obasanjo, Musa Yar’adua, Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari, Bola Tinubu

Despite Nigeria’s challenges, its 24 years of uninterrupted civil rule affirms its thriving democracy, says AUDA-NEPAD national coordinator Gloria Akobundu.

The AUDA-NEPAD coordinator stated this at a one-day symposium in Abuja on elections monitoring and observation tagged ‘2023 General Election and Way Forward’.

“The 2023 general elections, which marked 24 years of the country’s unbroken democracy in a stretch since its independence, was a major milestone. I have never seen a country that the military governed, and they were able to build their country back,” stated the AUDA-NEPAD chief.

Ms Akobundu added, “I have never seen any country where there are instability and the military were able to consolidate development and economic growth.

“That is why it is important that we need to first celebrate Nigeria for ensuring that democracy stands in our nation and that is why we need to encourage democratic processes to enable us realise the Nigeria we all want.”

The AUDA-NEPAD official called for the “need to join hands with our leaders to make it better. We do not need to compare ourselves with the Western world.”

Abdulkarim Chukkol, the acting chair of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, said the EFCC’s effort in combating voter inducement sent strong shivers to those involved.

Mr Chukkol, represented at the symposium by Adariku Michael, said the EFCC deployed its operatives across the country to prevent the issue of vote-buying and selling, and it was able to arrest, investigate and prosecute those found wanting.

“Selling votes brings bad governance. Nigerians must desist from this act. There is also need to amend our legal reform to make stiffer punishment for offenders. There is need for close monitoring of elections by security agencies by making their presence well felt in every polling unit,” stated Mr Chukkol.

The EFCC chair added, “It is also important that we have a strategic planning and deliberate implementation of cashless policy, this will sure help in reducing voter inducement.”

(NAN)

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