June 12: Politicians must choose democracy over illiberalism – Salman

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

Convener of the Good Governance Team (GGTNigeria), Tunde Salman, has warned that the hard-won lessons of the June 12 struggle are in danger of being lost, saying the behaviour of Nigeria’s political class shows few signs that democratic values have been internalised.

Speaking to Saturday Sun exclusively, Salman said while there have been “some efforts to learn useful lessons,” the conduct of politicians, particularly during recent and on-going party primaries, demonstrates a pervasive “illiberal culture” that threatens the quality of the country’s democracy, “Across all the political parties, without any single exception, what we have seen is not something to be proud of,” he said, arguing that illiberal primaries cannot produce genuinely democratic outcomes and warned that the spectacle of flawed intra-party contests undermines the broader electoral process.

Salman said the problem goes beyond party rituals to the heart of Nigeria’s democratic transition.

“Some people believe that Nigeria’s transition to civil rule in 1999 has actually not moved from transition to civil rule to an actual transition to democratic governance,” he said, citing weak procedural democracy, irregular and non-credible elections, fragile institutions and constrained media, as part of the deficit.

The GGT convener noted that the substantive dividends of democracy; marked improvement in citizens’ quality of life, remain largely unrealised.

He warned that many present-day leaders are “shadows of leadership,” some of whom were once in the trenches during the push to reclaim the significance of June 12, yet have failed to translate that legacy into democratic practice.

Salman also raised concern about rising insecurity and its effect on electoral credibility. He pointed to a recent attempted kidnapping at a boarding school in Kogi State as evidence that violent crime and organised attacks are increasing at the very moment the country is preparing for campaigns and elections. “How can you guarantee a peaceful election where, on the eve of a campaign season, we have this increase in banditry almost every year?” he asked.