The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has attributed the failure of democracy in Nigeria to persistent abuse of the country’s constitution.
The electoral body specifically pointed to successive presidents since 1999 as major offenders of constitutional provisions.
Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Benue State, Prof. Sam Egwu, made the remarks yesterday at the National Conference on the Future of Democracy in Nigeria. The conference, themed “Sustaining Democratic Growth Beyond the Polls for Effective Governance,” was organised by the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) and held in Abuja.
According to the former Ebonyi State governor, successive administrations have governed in breach of the constitution while pursuing liberal economic policies dictated by global financial institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), often to the detriment of Nigerians.
“I argue that we need to pursue a real democratisation agenda and return to obeying the constitution. If you read the 1999 Constitution, which is derived from the 1979 Constitution, Chapter Two commits to the doctrine of democracy, outlining the responsibilities of government in terms of citizens’ welfare.
“It covers responsibilities in health and education. Yet all the presidents since 1999 have failed to uphold these provisions. The 1999 Constitution commits Nigeria to a social democracy, but successive governments have advanced liberal economic policies that contradict its core provisions on social welfare, health, and education.”
He further argued that excessive centralisation of power in the executive has weakened Nigeria’s federal system, leaving local governments powerless and disconnected from the citizens.
Egwu also faulted the influence of international financial bodies on Nigeria’s economic policies, saying the nation’s domestic policy space has been effectively hijacked by the World Bank and IMF.
Urging a rethink of Nigeria’s democracy, he said civil society remains the true “hero of the nation’s democratic journey” but is currently weakened due to lack of membership structure and dwindling funding. He advocated for a complete transformation of local government administration to directly engage citizens in setting development priorities.
PAACA Executive Director, Ezenwa Nwagwu, said the conference was convened to advance democratic reforms and strengthen governance institutions. Nwagwu highlighted that PAACA has been working across 19 states to bridge the gap between policy and citizens through advocacy and civic engagement.
“Democratic reforms must not be episodic or elite-driven. They must be citizen-centred, inclusive, and enduring,” he said.
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