Rights activist and legal practitioner Deji Adeyanju has described Nigerian democracy as a tool deployed by politicians to entrench elite control instead of serving ordinary Nigerians.

While assessing the country’s democratic journey on the occasion of June 12 on Thursday, Mr Adeyanju said democracy only serviced the whims of politicians instead of benefiting ordinary Nigerians.

“As Nigeria marks another Democracy Day, we are reminded once again that democracy in this country serves the powerful, not the people,” the activist said. “Today, as we mark Democracy Day, we must ask: Who truly benefits from this democracy? For many Nigerians, the promise of representative governance has given way to daily struggles for survival.”

Mr Adeyanju condemned President Bola Tinubu’s abrupt implementation of fuel subsidy as consequential, saying it has only deepened inequality and inflation while widening poverty in the country.

“Perhaps the most consequential and regrettable decision of the current administration has been the abrupt removal of the fuel subsidy. While it was sold to the public as a bold economic reform aimed at redirecting national resources, its implementation has only deepened inequality, accelerated inflation, and intensified poverty. What was promised as a path to national rebirth has instead become a gateway to unchecked looting at the subnational level,” he said.

He noted that while the removal of fuel subsidy had resulted in increased state allocations, it did not result in visible improvements in infrastructure, healthcare, education and public services.

Mr Adeyanju added, “There is little, if any, evidence to suggest that the increased funds have translated into better lives for citizens. No new roads, no improved schools, no functional hospitals. Only expanding convoys, lavish spending, and political realignments as governors defect to the ruling party to secure continued access to power and privilege.”

The activist further said “the relentless campaign for local government autonomy led with admirable conviction by the Honourable Attorney-General, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has yielded no tangible result despite the overwhelming financial advantages post-subsidy removal,” accusing the state governors of siphoning local government funds with impunity and crippling the local governments.

While noting that “Nigeria is trapped in a cycle where personal interest trumps public good, where the rule of law is undermined by political expediency and where accountability remains elusive,” Mr Adeyanju called for genuine leadership committed to Nigerian development and aimed at strengthening democracy for the benefit of ordinary Nigerians.

“Until leadership is redefined by service, transparency, and genuine commitment to national development, Nigeria’s democracy will remain a celebration for the few, while the majority continue to suffer in silence,” he said.