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There are very few people in Nigeria today that can say that they have a feel of real democracy. Our political scientists see it as a government of the people by the people and for the people. The reason for not experiencing real democracy is varied. It can be a matter of age. Those that have seen something that looks like actual democracy were those that are active between 1959 and 1964.

How many Nigerians are around 50 years old? It is normal for a population to be dominated by children and the very old. It can also be a matter of opportunity. Those that have stayed abroad where actual democracy is practised. What percentage of the population can be in this category? It can also be that because real democracy is not practised in this country during the 2nd, 3rd and 4th republics, not to mention the long military intervention between these republics. It was during the 2nd republic that we heard of “landslide” victory. Everyone is in hurry to use one jargon or the other to deny the people the right to choose. I don’t think that there is contention in the land today that elections are rigged. Evidences abound.

In fact, even beneficiaries accept that the process is problematic. They are quick, however, to say that they know that given the chance, the masses shall still vote for them. The way and manner elections are rigged has become the concern of everyone. The courts are doing their best; but if they cancel election 100 times and ask for a repeat, they will get back the same result. May be the lower court should take a cue from the Supreme Court. When they decided who was the candidate for PDP in lmo state, PDP ensured that the candidate did not win the election. When they have a similar matter in Rivers to determine who was the actual candidate for PDP, they did not ask for a repeat election with the real candidate. They instead asked that the real candidate be sworn in since the PDP won the state. The beauty of democracy is its flexibility.

The fact that you can not be sure of what next, does not mean a few people can continue to hold the people to ransom. Who said we are not experiencing democracy?

What alluded us during the past attempts at democracies is agenda setting; we were used to real party supremacy or some form of dictatorship. Real party supremacy to the level that candidate don’t really matter. It is party manifesto. The candidates are supposed to implement the manifesto of their parties. The candidate has very little say in the affairs of governance. You have certain individuals within the government that are far more powerful than the president. What the party lords say is law. On the contrary it was also our experience where you have leaders that are dictators. It is what they want that the party and other instruments of governance follow. You also have the legislature and judiciary that is cautious. They are only trying to judge the temperature of the president. It is either he had done something that is wrong to them and they want to revenge or he has been nice to them and they feel obliged to support him at all cost. In the end, either way, the great majority of the people don’t really matter. So the arms of government do not operate as they should in a democracy. The situation is worst with the legislature since even those that actually understand the real workings of parliament are in short supply. What majority understand is to make enough money and make a difference in their communities.

Now, however, we truly have a difference. No one is in doubt as to the agenda of the president, we all are reminded of seven (7) point agenda. May be because Yar’adua has seven letters and each of the letters can stand for an agendum:

i. Youth empowerment and Niger Delta Development; ii. Agriculture and Food Security; iii. Reform of the Political Process and Rule of Law; iv. Advancement of National Security; v. Development of Human Capital and Energy; vi. Upliftment of infrastructure and Health Sector; viii. Attitudinal Change and Wealth Creation.’

Even at the state level, we have for instance, Kaduna with five (5) points agenda. Incidentally too, Governor Sambo’s name has 5 letters: i. Security; ii. Agriculture; iii. Medical services; iv. Basic and functional education, and v. Operations and transportation.

It is same in Nasarawa where the governor has 13 points agenda and phrase Aliyu Akwe Doma has 13 letters; i. Accelerated Rural and Urban Development; ii. Lasting protection of life and properties; iii. Increased productivity and distribution; iv. Youth and Women Empowerment; v. Upgrading of Health Care Delivery System; vi. Accelerated Tourism Development; vii. Keeping the Environment Clean and Tidy; viii. Wealth Creation and Poverty Reduction; ix. Education emprovement at all levels; x. Development of Solid Minerals Sector; xi. Operational Commerce and Industry Sector; xii. Management of Human and Materials Resources; xiii. Accelerated revenue drive.

Many are not aware of this brand of politics until now. That it is not enough to say that you are in PDP but within the broad objectives of PDP. What and how are you going to do the little that is before you?

The other experience we have is that of non-interference. The executive is not too bothered about who leads the legislature. They are not too concerned about the kind of judgements. Promotions are announced even if it is at the eve of judgement. Nothing should interfere with any other thing. If it were before certain considerations would have denied certain people their due promotions just because they are involved in one case or the other. We are really experiencing democracy. Let what ought to be, be no matter the situation. The on-going investigations will have been stopped on the excuse of security reports. It is easy for the speaker to be written that “Security Reports” has it that 1000 buses are coming to invade the National Assembly if you start any enquiry about the power sector. The public hearing would have been halted. It is only now that citizens are beginning to hear who is actually supposed to prepare and present budgets. What actually is the duty of National Assembly when estimates are presented to them? These issues today are coming up because we are experiencing democracy. Before, we had a democratic government but we were not experiencing democracy.

When Mohammed Babangida was invited to the EFCC was he actually arraigned before the court? Can it truly be said that we are all equal before the law? Now we know better. Iyabo Obasanjo was arraigned like any other citizen that has taken what belongs to all of us. I am sure Iyabo is regretting having anything to do with the Ministry of Health. She should have been Commissioner of Commerce in Ogun State and that will have given her chairman of a different committee in the Senate.

When there was corruption at the ministry of works, we only saw the minister returning home, it was also the same at the internal affairs ministry. It also happened at the ministry of education. In fact, at that time we were asking the question, is removing a minister a punishment? Those of us that are not ministers, are we being punished? Now the situation is different. The ministers that have corrupt tendencies are already guests of EFCC.

Are you still doubting the fact that we are experiencing democracy? Democracy is actually a process that involves a lot of agencies and institutions. We cannot therefore do things with immediate effect. I am used to hearing colleagues say that when we don’t want something to be done send it to a committee. That way the proposal will be fully examined. If it survives the scrutiny of a committee and is finally recommended, you can then be sure that it is worthwhile.

Democracy has to do with a lot of patience. It is something that involves a lot of people and for a lot of people and must therefore carry along a lot of people. The thinking and understanding of a lot of people differ. If you have to carry along a lot of people, you may naturally be slow. We are not patient with Yar’adua administration because we have not been experiencing democracy. Anything democracy will have to be Systematic, Laborious, Objective and Worthwhile. Is that not the acronym “SLOW”.

Professor Mainoma is with the Department of Accounting, Nasarawa State University, Keffi.