Nigerian political scientists have expressed concerns over the state of democracy in the country 26 years after the return to civil rule.
They lamented that despite the return of the nation to democratic rule, the benefits of democracy have not been evenly distributed.
The president of the Nigeria Political Scientists Association (NPSA), Professor Hassan Saliu, ventilated the position of his colleagues in a statement issued to Blueprint in Ilorin, Kwara state, Monday.
“As Nigeria marks 26 years of its Fourth Republic, which commenced in May 1999, it is evident that the country’s democratic journey has been fraught with challenges. Despite efforts made by successive governments to improve the lives of Nigerians through various policy initiatives, the reality on the ground suggests that the benefits of democracy have not been evenly distributed,” Saliu said.
Saliu who lectures at the University of Ilorin listed military hangovers, self- serving interest, sluggish policy implementation, over- reliance on neo- liberal economic principles, politics as a business, lack of progressive ideologies, quick fixes and divisiveness as critical issues that have hindered the effectiveness of democratic governance in the country.
He said the aforementioned issues have resulted in credibility issues with elections, such as undemocratic political parties, political defections, dominance by a single party, budget padding, erosion of the middle class, poverty and unemployment, debt accumulation, stress in democratic practice and investments in non-impactful projects, promotion of primordial sentiments, rancorous politics, subservient legislature and loss of independence of action.