Nigeria’s democracy evolving despite challenges, says NBA chairman-elect

The Chairman-Elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Makurdi Branch, Mr. Joseph Gbagyo, says Nigeria’s democracy is making progress despite the numerous challenges facing the country.

Gbagyo stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Makurdi.

According to him, 27 years after Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, the country has recorded significant gains, particularly in sustaining peaceful transitions of power without military intervention.

The legal practitioner described the uninterrupted democratic experience as a major achievement and a sign of Nigeria’s political maturity.

“However, whether we are truly adhering to the democratic principles practised by countries we often model ourselves after, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, is a different matter entirely,” he said.

He noted that democracy is meant to serve the people and questioned whether citizens were fully enjoying its benefits.

Gbagyo said elected leaders enter into a social contract with the people and are expected to provide quality healthcare, education, security, welfare and an enabling environment for development.

He pointed to challenges such as insecurity, political tensions, inflation and infrastructure deficits as issues that continue to raise concerns about the delivery of democratic dividends.

Expressing optimism about the country’s future, he said Nigerians could build a better nation if leaders embraced the core values of democracy, including fairness, equity, respect for the rule of law and adherence to the principle of separation of powers.

According to him, fully entrenching these values would strengthen Nigeria’s democratic institutions and governance system.

On insecurity, Gbagyo said addressing the challenge requires strong political will and decisive leadership.

He cited countries such as Burkina Faso, Rwanda and Egypt as examples of nations that have made progress in tackling security and governance challenges.

He stressed that insecurity in Nigeria should not be viewed through ethnic or religious lenses but as a national issue requiring a coordinated response led by the President as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Gbagyo also advocated the deployment of technology, including artificial intelligence, to strengthen security operations across the country.

He, however, maintained that the effective use of technology and resources depends largely on political will.

“Where there is political will, resources will be properly utilised. Unfortunately, what we often witness is the underutilisation of resources meant for addressing insecurity,” he said.

He added that overcoming insecurity requires leaders to place national interest above political, ethnic and religious considerations.

“With strong political will and effective use of available resources, Nigeria can make meaningful progress in addressing its security challenges,” he said.

(NAN)