Vice President Kashim Shetimma has assured that despite the present challenges, the country will soon reap the benefits of efforts to revive the economy.
He spoke in Abuja in a goodwill message to a two-day National Conference with the theme: “Strengthening Nigeria Democracy: Partway to Good Governance and Political Integrity”.
It was organised by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WfD), Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) and National Peace Committee.
Represented by his Special Adviser (Political), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the Vice President admitted that the administration is not unaware of many concerns over the direction of government policies.
He said: “I would like to assure Nigerians that our administration is acutely aware of many concerns over our direction and goals, particularly given the difficulties which some of our policies inevitably generate.
“We are involved in correcting many defects in our economy and approaches to securing the citizen.
“We have been honest to admit that this transition from a broken past and a promising future will not be without a price, and we will remain focussed on easing the pain and ensuring that we do not take our eyes off the goals.
“We will listen and adjust where necessary, and we will account our stewardship in all manners challenging our democratic systems demands.
“I am convinced that we will reap the benefits of our current, unavoidable difficulties.
“I am convinced that Nigeria shall rise again, answer to its full potential and lead the way to a future that would have learnt lessons from a difficult past into a world in which our country will be a key player, and our young will be active champions of a democratic system because it speaks to them.”
In his keynote address, the former Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, said there was a need to ensure that democracy delivers inclusive opportunities.
He noted that the productive energies of young people need to be harnessed properly to empower them to play positive roles in democratic sustenance.
He stressed that one of the most important determinants of a flourishing democracy is the quality of institutions — those capable of guaranteeing rights, including property rights, and checking wanton abuse of power.
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Bawumia said these institutions include the election management bodies, the judiciary, the ombudsman, the Police, other law enforcement agencies, and many others.
He pointed out that unfortunately, whilst the culture of peacefully choosing leaders is being entrenched, these institutions are becoming weak and endangered.
Director General of Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim in his paper, “Democracy in Nigeria: Challenges, Prospects and the 2027 Elections,” lamented that people are interested in access to power with no commitment to what democracy is supposed to provide.
He said: “A situation where they have no commitment to ideals of democracy. The real outcome is increasing apathy.
“The people have lost the right to exercise power because it has been confiscated from them. That creates the crisis of apathy.”
Founding Executive Director, Centre LSD, Dr. Otive Igbuzor noted that despite the uninterrupted civilian rule of 25 years, the country’s democratic journey is been beset by structural and functional flaws.
He identified such flaws to include electoral malpractices, ineffective political parties, and weakened governance structures to pervasive corruption and a concerning erosion of public trust.
Igbuzor said: “Despite decades of democratic practice, the realities faced by Nigerians today often reflect disillusionment rather than hope.
“The goal of this conference, therefore, is to reignite hope, rebuild trust, and lay out a road map toward a strengthened democratic system that serves all Nigerians with integrity and accountability.”
Emphasising the need for democratic reforms, he added: “Our aim through this conference is to initiate reform efforts that will strengthen our electoral process and ensure that our leadership selection process is credible.
“Secondly, we seek to mobilise and strengthen our political parties. Political parties are the bedrock of any democracy, yet in Nigeria, they often fall short of the ideals of transparency, accountability, and responsiveness.
“The focus of this conference includes fostering the development of political parties that are truly representative, open to internal democracy, and accountable to the people.
“By addressing these issues, we envision political parties that champion the voice and needs of Nigerians, providing viable choices for leadership and governance.”
