Strong democratic institutions can enhance desired sustainable development- Minister

By Akeem Abas
The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, says Nigeria can achieve desired sustainable development with strong democratic institutions.

Dare made the assertions on Friday at the Fifth Annual Sen. Abiola Ajimobi Roundtable and 73rd Posthumous Birthday of late Sen. Ajimobi, at the Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies (IPSS), University of Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was organised by the Senator Abiola Ajimobi Foundation (SAAF) and the Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies (IPSS), University of Ibadan.

NAN reports that the event was attended by the Ondo State Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa; the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba AbdulRasheed Akanbi; a former Minister, Chief (Mrs) Onikepo Akande and former Head of Service of the Federation, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi.

Dare said that the nation’s democracy would not deliver the desired development when the process of choosing candidates for elections does not produce credible and competent candidates.

He said that democratic process and its outcomes, which should be good governance, would remain inchoate when capable hands willing to serve the people, are not allowed to flourish.

The minister said that the only challenge in Nigeria with democratic practice and culture till date was the party politics and internal democracy within various political parties.

“It is my considered view that we will deepen democracy and sustainable development in Nigeria when we continue to have open forum and roundtable discussions.

“The town-gown collaboration must take a higher dimension where academics must partner better with political actors.

“Government must continue to invest in education and public enlightenment so that mass of the people can know their roles, rights, duties and obligations in a democratic society,” he said.

Dare said that President Muhammadu Buhari gave the country its most advanced and most-all-encompassing Electoral Law, 2022, adding it has instilled more confidence into the electoral process.

He said that democracy could not flourish the way it should be without strong and viable political parties, calling for continuous improvement on the Electoral Laws to make votes count.

According to him, there can be no sustainable development, if the party structure is built on fraud and indiscipline.

“We must continue on this path and the National Assembly, in future, must continue to improve on the laws to strengthen our electoral process and INEC as institution.

“The criminal justice system should be more alive to its responsibility. Law enforcement agencies, police in particular, must do better to stamp out violence and intimidation from our body polity,” the minister said.

Dare said that lessons from the late Ajimobi’s life was the need to have leaders who truly love the people and would serve them with honesty of purpose and determination.

Also, Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, the Director-General, Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos, said there was need to restructure the state to make it more legitimate, inclusive, transparent and accountable.

Osaghae said that in spite of apparent vigour, liberal democracy in Nigeria was debilitated by the effects of economic anarchy and social distemper.

He said that successful, better freer and fairer elections alone couldn’t deepen democracy, adding, “democracy is expected to serve as means of enhancing human security, material progress and overall development.

Osaghae said that the parameters for measuring how deeply democracy had been entrenched should include standards of living, especially poverty reduction, the extent to which Rule of Law and human rights are enjoyed.

The NIIA director-general said that making the state more legitimate, inclusive, transparent and accountable was the only way that could guarantee democracy to be a driver of sustainable development.

Earlier, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, the SAAF President, said it was time to reflect on the nation’s basic democratic and developmental requirements as a country, so as to make progress in our democratic landscape.

“It will be gladly recalled that in our 2021 Forum, the need for “Election Security and Good Governance in Nigeria” was our theme.

“It is heart-lifting to note that some innovations have been put in place in response to the advocacy. We pray such a positive disposition continues,” Ajimobi said.

She said that the intention of the roundtable was to constantly interrogate relevant developmental themes for further growth and development of Nigeria.

“This is with a view to reawakening the consciousness of previous, current and prospective leaders, as well as the led.

“It is reawaken them on the need to promote and uplift the status of our country and the welfare of the citizenry, through strong democratic institutions, among others,” Ajimobi said.

NAN reports that the event was attended by Sen. Teslim Folarin, the APC Governorship candidate; Chief Adebayo Adelabu, the Accord Governorship candidate; Mr Kolapo Kola-Daisi, Accord Party Senatorial candidate for Oyo South, among others. (NAN)