Bad Governance Is The Reason Nigeria Has Not Enjoyed The Dividends Of Democracy – Jega

A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Attahiru Jega has come out to say that Nigerians have not been able to enjoy the dividends of Democracy because of bad governance.

He recently had his say while speaking to the press, and Nigerians have been reacting.

According to him, it is clear that the recent elements of liberal democratic development have not yet translated into substantive socioeconomic development that satisfies the needs and aspirations of the overwhelming majority of Nigerians.

He added that in general, leadership at all tiers of the Nigerian federation has simply not been good.

His words, “Nigeria has been on a trajectory of liberal democratic development continuously for 23 years, since 1999 when the military returned to the barracks, While every four years we have routinely elected representatives into the legislative and executive arms of government, there is consensus that these elements of liberal democratic development have not yet translated into substantive socioeconomic development that satisfies the needs and aspirations of the overwhelming majority of citizens.”

“For the past 23 years, the country has been under democratic rule, but the so-called dividends of democracy have not yet been desirable for the majority of Nigerian Citizens. Unfortunately, there has been bad leadership, not that there are no good leaders in the country but they are in short supply while the Democratic institutions are also weak.”

“In general, leadership at all tiers of the Nigerian federation has not been good; it has been essential bad and undemocratic; characterized by bad, rather than good, democratic governance.”

“Many national organizations and institutions have been afflicted/affected by this tendency towards bad governance.”

“The basic things we require in good governance are good leaders that can be transformational and transitional if we are to achieve good dividends of democracy.”