From Okwe Obi, Abuja
A civil society organisation, the United Global Resolve for Peace (UGRFP), has flayed the N21 billion spent on the official residence of the vice president.
Its chairman, Shalom Olaseni, in a statement, yesterday, on Nigeria’s 25 years unbroken democracy, said part of the funds should have been spent on improving the country’s educational sector.
He called on leaders to focus on improving the lives of people, saying a democracy poorly practiced is worse than dictatorship
He wondered why countries that do not practice democracy, like China, experienced significant economic prowess but Nigeria, a country practising democracy, has retrogressed from being the largest economy in Africa to being the number four in Africa.
Olaseni maintained that political leaders must promote democratic institutions where governance is focused on improving lives of the people and the governed and not on how much wealth and power the politicians and leaders can acquire for themselves.
He said: “We have seen our democratic institutions been self-serving evidently in the government officials expediently passing bills and directives to improve their own quality of lives while mischievously dragging their feet to allow workers earn a decent wages and we have seen the democratically elected government lavish N21 billion on a building for the vice president while the state of education in the country continues to suffer massive decline.
“Rule of law has also been a mirage in this longest span of democracy we are experiencing in the country as there has been two tier justice system with one for the rich and powerful and the other for the masses and poor, harassment and detaining of journalists, corruption and abuse of the human rights by the law enforcement agencies which also culminated in the infamous October 2020 EndSARS movement and confrontation.
“Our electoral processes have witnessed from violence to money inducement and foul plays by the politicians and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) alike even the effort to ensure transparency in the last electoral process in the country was marred with ridiculous and flimsy excuses by INEC.
“We have also experienced marginalization of the minorities in the country with their rights being constantly trampled on as is evident in the South East and the Niger Delta of the country.
“Democracy poorly practiced is way worse than the autocratic and dictatorship form of government. Nigeria must instil sanity to her democratic institutions where governance is focused on improving the lives of the people and the governed and not on how much wealth and power the politicians and leaders can acquire for themselves.
“The law enforcement agencies must ensure they respect human rights while enforcing the rule of law without making themselves a political tool for witch hunting political enemies.
“Dissent views, opinions and opposition should not be stiffened out to allow democracy thrive in the country and human rights and dignity must be ensured and restored, that way, we can all enjoy the dividends of democracy and see Nigeria take her rightful place in Africa and the global stage at large.”