Exclusive: Weak Democratic Institutions Are The Banes Of Nigeria’s Democracy – Prof. Habu

Exclusive: Weak Democratic Institutions Are The Banes Of Nigeria’s Democracy – Prof. Habu

By Ozumi Abdul

AREWA AGENDA – Barely forty days to the 2023 general elections, the Director of Bayero University Kano, (BUK)’s Aminu Kano Centre For Democratic Studies, Mambayya House, Professor Mohammed Habu has rued that the week democratical institutions and tenets have been the banes of the country’s fledgling democracy.

He stated this on Monday during an exclusive interview with Arewa Agenda editor, Ozumi Abdul at his Mambayya House office in Kano.

The university Don noted that the robustness in the democratic processes in Nigeria is what the country currently needs, than that of personality, adding that it would be debilitating for a country to have leaders elected under democratic tenets and end up being dictatorial.

He however said that if institutions are properly built where people are compelled to work under their dictates, and not dictates of their whims and caprices, that the people will enjoy governance and democratic system.

He added that it would take time for the possibilities of having strong democratic institutions in the country, because they depend on how strong and robust the institutions of horizontal accountabilities are, adding that these institutions of horizontal accountabilities are the executives, legislature, judiciary, the police, the civil society organizations and institutions that are well grounded.

He added that it entails total submissions to the dictates of the constitution by abiding by them.

“We have saw in the past, the judiciary will say okay, don’t do that, that the president should not do that, the president will go ahead to do whatever he likes.

” We had also seem when Obasanjo was in government, he singlehandedly handed over Bakassi to another country without consultation.

“Again, we have seen, Obasanjo alone was asked by the court to pay back Lagos outstanding grant, because Tinubu created LCDAs, but he refused not until when Yaradua came and paid all.

” So in other words, if you build people around government, people will sleep and wake up, and think of their whims and caprices, dictation and their egoistic dictations. But if build institutions, people begin to see that they have to sit up, and in that case, the question of impunity does not arise, the question of rule of law will prevail.

“So it is the rule of law that guides the mannerism of leaders, their actions and inactions.

The Mambayya House Director also said he foresaw the likelihood of a merger involving LP’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi and that of the NNPP, Rabiu Kwankwaso if there is a re-run.

He recalled that the two presidential candidates have been in contacts through their representatives for a purported merger, but said that the possibility of such merger was stymied by the egoistic differences between the duo who don’t want to play a second fiddle role as a vice presidential candidate to each other.

“I foresee a merger, alliance and re-alliace between Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso if there is a re-run, and that will be a big backlash to the two major political parties and their candidates.

“Don’t forget these two men have always been in contacts over this merger issues, but because of their egos it was not possible because Kwankwaso didn’t want to become the vice to Obi, so also Obi too.

” But when they come to the time that there is any other thing to do than to merge, I mean if there is a re-run, that’s when they will come to the reality, and they will be convinced even though not by their own initiation, but by other people who are eager to see the change needed for the country in 2023″, he said.

He then reiterated that the electoral umpire and security agents must be ready to conduct themselves in orderly and professional manners that will endear the successful conduct of the 2023 general elections, adding that he dreads the unprofessional conducts of the police, discerning from the trajectories of their involvement in partisan politics in the past.

“The police have to be partial, have to professional and neutral because if there is any traits that will torpedo the electoral processes in Nigeria today, is the failure of the police to do the right thing and the needful, and this time if there is failure to do the right thing there might be revolts of the people because no one will allow the police to dampen his spirit in their bid to vote in another government”.

He also said that the 2023 general elections will be a total departure from the recent elections when people voted based on ethnic and religious sentiments, arguing that there will be total dynamics because of the nature of politicians vying for the presidency.