ARISE Information analyst Dayo Sobowale has argued that democracy loses its which means when elections are manipulated, insisting that no authorities can declare legitimacy the place the electoral course of is neither free nor honest.
Talking in an interview with ARISE Information on Friday, Sobowale reacted to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s remarks questioning whether or not democracy essentially results in {economic} progress, saying Jonathan had raised a considerate and vital debate on governance and improvement.
In response to him, whereas democracy is extensively promoted as the popular political system, its actual worth relies on whether or not it produces legitimacy, stability, and {economic} progress for residents.
“You possibly can’t have democracy and illegitimacy,” he stated.
Sobowale defined that democracy solely works when residents are genuinely allowed to decide on their leaders by way of clear and credible elections, stressing that flawed electoral processes weaken establishments and public belief.
“For democracy to be significant and be revered, it must be legit. It is advisable to have free and honest elections periodically for the individuals to select,” he said.
He warned that when elections are manipulated to maintain leaders in energy, democracy turns into empty and loses its ethical authority.
“However if you rig the elections, and the election will not be free and honest, then you definately make a mockery of democracy,” he added.
Sobowale additional described democracy in Africa as a borrowed political mannequin inherited by way of colonialism, arguing that it was imposed fairly than developed from indigenous governance traditions.
He pointed to nations resembling China and the United Arab Emirates as examples of different methods which have achieved {economic} progress and political stability outdoors Western democratic constructions.
Regardless of his criticism, Sobowale didn’t reject democracy fully, however known as for reforms that guarantee credible elections and governance methods higher suited to Nigeria’s realities.
“Let’s have free, honest elections. That will be democracy,” he stated.
He concluded that except Nigeria resolves the legitimacy disaster surrounding elections, democracy will stay unable to ship accountability, prosperity, or lasting public confidence.
By Triumph Ojo
Times Nigeria