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“The values of freedom, respect for human rights and the principle of
holding periodic and genuine elections by universal suffrage are
essential elements of democracy. In turn, democracy provides the
natural environment for the protection and effective realization of
human rights. These values are embodied in the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights .” –UN.
Nigeria does not have a democracy. There is politics in Nigeria, in fact
too much of it, but no democracy. Having civilian rulers does not
make a democracy. And unlike the USA, where as Hilary Clinton said-
in-Nigeria, “our democracy is yet evolving,” Nigeria does not yet have
a democracy, so nothing is evolving.
Democracy is about the provision of, and protection of Human Rights.
It is not simply a process of putting papers in ballot boxes. The
conditions to test; questions to ask ourselves are: Are we lead or
ruled? Are any of those who rule us the people we would really choose
with our eyes open? Do those who rule us represent us and provide us
our basic rights? Do they lead us to where we need be, or do they
only rule over us for their gains? Are we able to remove them when
they fail?
And then, can we honestly say that the 80 million rural dwellers are
represented, know candidates and vote for candidates to lead them in
our current system, or these villagers do not count in the selection
but suffer the most from its consequences; these rural dwellers who
account for 80% of our 100 million destitute population. These
questions are essential conditions democracy fulfils; do we have
them?

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