Democracy Day: Nigeria’s Democracy hijacked by poor leadership — ADC Lagos Chairman

By Adebola Isimijola, Lagos

The Lagos State Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), George Ashiru, has lamented that Nigeria’s democratic journey has failed to meet the expectations generated by the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election, blaming the situation on decades of poor leadership.

Ashiru, who spoke ahead of Nigeria’s Democracy Day celebration, said the promise of democracy has been weakened by leaders who, according to him, have prioritised personal interests over the welfare of the people.

He recalled that the 1993 election raised hopes of a new Nigeria built on justice, prosperity, and accountable leadership, but expressed disappointment that the country had instead witnessed worsening economic and security challenges.

“The democracy that we thought we had is now being misused and abused by incompetent people who have come into power, both military and civilian, over the past 30-plus years,” Ashiru said.

The ADC chairman cited rising inflation, the depreciation of the naira, and insecurity as evidence that Nigeria has not achieved the democratic dividends expected by citizens.

He argued that the true measure of democracy should go beyond physical infrastructure to include improvements in the living standards of the people.

“Benefits are not just about building skyscrapers; it is measured in Human Development Index (HDI), human development indices,” he stated.

Ashiru noted that countries such as Singapore, China, Malaysia, and South Korea, which were once at comparable developmental stages with Nigeria, had recorded significant progress because of visionary leadership and strategic planning.

He also criticised the country’s electoral system, alleging that voter disenfranchisement, vote snatching, and electoral manipulation had affected the credibility of democratic processes.

According to him, Nigeria needs a new national vision driven by leaders who are committed to service, unity, and economic empowerment rather than constant political calculations.

“People who are elected into government should start thinking of the people first rather than themselves,” he said.

The ADC leader linked insecurity in the country partly to poverty, arguing that citizens who are economically empowered would be less vulnerable to political manipulation and criminal exploitation.

On the argument that Nigeria’s ethnic diversity contributes to its challenges, Ashiru rejected the claim, describing diversity as an advantage rather than a problem.

He pointed to successful Nigerian organisations with employees from different ethnic backgrounds as evidence that diversity can produce positive outcomes when properly managed.

“I think it is a wrong principle to say that what is our strength, which is our diversity, is our problem. No, it is people manipulating our diversity for their own political gains that is our problem,” he said.

Ashiru stressed that Nigeria’s major challenge is not ethnicity but leadership failure.

“Tribe is not our problem. Bad leadership is the problem,” he declared.

He urged Nigerians to use the Democracy Day reflection to demand a leadership system focused on poverty reduction, accountability, national unity, and improved quality of life for citizens.