As Nigerians celebrate the epochal Democracy Day, marked for June 12, 2021, the Yoruba Global Council (YGC), a Yoruba diaspora socio-cultural organization has expressed concerns over shrinking civic space, lingering social injustice and the dwindling democratic values in Nigeria.
However, the group in a press
statement signed by its spokesperson, Prof. Lere Amusan felicitates with
Nigerians and government at all levels on the day, marking 22 years since
return of Democracy in Nigeria, even as it expressed worry over lingering state
of the nation.
“In the spirit of celebrations, we
are seriously perturbed by recent unwary development threatening citizens’
fundamental rights and freedom as well as civic space at all levels,
particularly on Yoruba land.
“We, without hesitation, state that
true Democracy in Nigeria is threatened by recurring political efforts to
shrink civic space, growing ethnic intolerance, disobedience to citizens’ human
rights, lingering socio-economic injustice, poor policy response to diverse
agitations, and mismatched political ideology by successive
administrations.
“While Nigerians were hopeful for
renewed dynamism in addressing the myriad problems bedeviling the country
following the return of Democracy in 1999, we are concerned that they are today
compelled to endure growing socio-economic and political challenges presented
by successive administrations. These include endless insecurity, pervasive
corruption and mismanagement, rising poverty and unemployment, non-observance
of citizens’ human rights, and total disobedience to the rule of law.
“We observed that effort at
citizenry levels to protest and express dissatisfaction with governance is
hampered by threats that currently manifest in media harassment and
intimidation, unlawful ban of a social media App, constant harassment of Human
Rights and Anti-corruption Civil Society Organisations, illegal ban on protest,
and arbitrary arrests.
“These without doubt, are basic
symptoms of the lack of necessary democratic values in Nigeria.
“We on this note express total
disappointment at unlawful actions of some individuals or groups to undermine
Democratic values, inflame mayhems and public disorder as recently demonstrated
in unconstitutional restriction of fellow citizens’ rights and freedom,
targeted destructions to lives and public property, and unguarded divisive utterances,
primarily to aggravate ethnic tensions and communal instabilities.
“We are more concerned that the
democratic values which were meant to enhance socio-economic opportunities for
betterment of the marginalised, promote peaceful co-existence, secure citizens’
rights and freedom, and protect the vulnerable groups are mistook by some
individuals or groups to exacerbate insecurity, inflict tensions, killings,
destructions and instabilities; as recently observed in some parts of the
country.
“We reiterate concerns over shaky
credibility and integrity that dominates Nigeria’s electoral system and
process. This accompanied by electoral irregularities including fraud, vote
buying and igging as well as massive deployment of hoodlums in elections, continues
to impair reform, justice, transparency and accountability in electoral
process, while breathing public distrust in political institutions.
We therefore call for thorough
review of party politics and political ideology to pilot a people-oriented
blueprint for desired good governance and true democracy in Nigeria.
“We demand unconditional respect for
citizens’ human rights irrespective of their socio-economic and political
status at all levels including recognition of their freedom of expression as a
Constitutional right and not privilege.
“As efficient delivery of democratic
dividend to the citizens rests largely on enabling legal environment through
strict adherence to the rule of law by relevant institutions, we call for total
respect for the sanity and sanctity of the rule of law to enhance democratic
values such as accountability, transparency, and human rights promotion and
protection.
“We call on the government at all
levels to uphold and allow civic space for meaningful contribution to democratic
governance in Nigeria, with demonstrated commitment to the principles of
responsibility and responsiveness for good governance.
“We demand sincere effort by
relevant authorities to address pervasive insecurity, unemployment and poverty
with strong emphasis on true federalism and Local Government Autonomy to enable
impactful democratic dividend and sustainable development in the grassroots.
“We call for the creation of an
independent and functional Electoral Offences Commission to investigate and
prosecute breaches of relevant electoral provisions including vote buying and
rigging.
“We demand an independent and
strengthened electoral institution to actualise and maintain secret balloting
system and electoral voting in the entire process including registration,
accreditation, vote counting, collation and announcement chain to discourage
vote buying and rigging, and enhance electoral integrity and accountability.
“We further demand immediate
investigation and prosecution of the recent killings of innocent citizens and
security personnel in various parts of the country to demonstrate social
justice, reinforce peaceful co-existence and responsive governance.
We also call for the development of
a new policy framework with comprehensive mutual benefit to address existing
communal challenges and compensate victims of social injustice and
marginalisation to foster national integrity.
“We encourage the media at all
levels on appropriate public enlightenment and citizens’ re-orientation to
mitigate impact of reported cases of divisive utterances, hate speeches and
provocation, to complement policy effort towards sustainable peaceful co-existence.
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