The Stagnation of Nigeria’s Democracy Compared to Ghana’s Progress

Sylvester Odion-Akhaine highlighted the stagnation of Nigerian democracy as compared to Ghana’s significant advancements over the past two decades. He detailed Nigeria’s issues, including electoral rigging, human rights violations, ethnic tensions, and mismanagement of public funds, which have hindered its democratic progress. The analysis suggests essential reforms are necessary to enhance Nigeria’s electoral integrity and address systemic challenges.

Sylvester Odion-Akhaine, a Professor of Political Science and Human Rights Activist, articulated the stagnation of Nigeria’s democracy in contrast to the progress observed in Ghana. He pointed out that Ghanaian democracy has experienced significant advancements over the past two decades, marked by strong institutional development and improvements in the electoral process.

In Ghana, the Electoral Commission, Judiciary, and Security Agencies exhibit a high degree of professionalism and independence, which starkly contrasts with Nigeria’s electoral challenges. Odion-Akhaine presented this evaluation during the 103rd Inaugural Lecture at Lagos State University, discussing the importance of empirical evidence within Africa’s evolving democratic landscape.

The Professor highlighted that Ghana’s democracy has qualitatively improved while Nigeria’s has only expanded quantitatively. Notably, Ghana has successfully managed peaceful transitions of power across four elections since 2000, while Nigeria has seen a transfer of power only once from the People’s Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress in 2015.

Odion-Akhaine asserted that Nigeria continues to struggle with historical issues that hinder democratic development, attributing this to four main problems. Firstly, he emphasized the prevalence of rigged elections, stating that events have deviated significantly from democratic principles and have drawn critical assessments from international observers, particularly following the 2007 elections, which were deemed unfair.

He further pointed out the widespread human rights violations that have plagued every Nigerian administration since 1999, including severe abuses amidst conflicts like the Boko Haram insurgency. Additionally, he discussed the persistent ethnic tensions that define Nigeria’s electoral behavior, asserting that identity politics remain influential.

Finally, Odion-Akhaine criticized the gross mismanagement of public funds within Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, noting that the political elite exploit public resources for personal gain. He reported that a significant percentage of national income is devoted to recurrent expenditures, undermining potential capital investments and contributing to Nigeria’s economic difficulties, often articulated in terms of rampant corruption.

Odion-Akhaine’s critique offers a profound understanding of Nigeria’s democratic setbacks compared to its West African counterpart, Ghana, underscoring essential reforms needed to improve its electoral integrity and human rights observance.

In summary, Sylvester Odion-Akhaine’s analysis illustrates the stark contrasts between Ghanaian and Nigerian democracies, emphasizing Ghana’s institutional resilience and electoral integrity. He attributes Nigeria’s stagnation to historical electoral rigging, human rights abuses, ethnic conflicts, and financial mismanagement. By highlighting these issues, he underscores the pressing need for comprehensive reforms to foster a more robust democratic framework in Nigeria.

Original Source: businessday.ng