Democracy or Autocracy? It is a matter of fact that the democracy as widely preaching ‘’as a government of the people by the people and for the people’’. This assertion is only a mere expression of the ideas by the then Father of Democracy American president Abraham Lincoln but if truth to be told democracy in Nigeria context had counteracted the previous assertion because the basic essential assumptions or principles of democracy have been negated in as much to the current political game in Nigeria however , democracy which encourages separation of power and the principle of check and balance has been ultimately replaced with the totalitarian regime that seeks no any suggestions or advices as to matters affecting national interests . The most important pillars of democracy are: (1) A Popular Sovereignty (2) Role of Press (3) Periodic Election and so on. Democracy always cherishes the mutual interdependence between the three arms of government: executive, legislature and judiciary each of these arms is a powerful and independent in its own domain. No encroachment of power upon the one arm by the another; they should work together to perform the business of government collectively. Unlike, Nigeria democracy where the executive arm put the both the judiciary and legislative organs into its pocket and to manipulates the social and political realities however this political culture characterizes the Nigerian polity. In many instances, executive arm tends to exploits the aforementioned arms of government through a various ways. We noticed these events in a matter concerning the president of Nigeria when the national issues raised and they are capable to touch the interest of the powerful elite such interests must be denied or revoke despite the fact the constitution of the federation upholds it. Judiciary as a separate entity and designed to administer impartial judgment and safeguard the interest of the citizens was hijacked because the appointment of the judges are based on political consideration therefore any judge who wants to be upgraded to the apex position, he must be tied to executive’s apron string. This is evidently happened in many judicial cases where FG tries to violates the rule but judiciary will quickly intervene to back up the case with its flawed corroborative evidences nevertheless the court is essentially equipped with the rules and regulations of government that is only to interprets them but some laws are deniable for public interpretation they are rather enacted to protects the FG only and thus, civil cases between FG and ordinary masses are not interpretable although the constitution set to provides an impartial judgment if need arise. It is a rare to hear or see a particular case that judiciary have barred executive to carry out a particular action against the dictate of the constitution in Nigeria democracy. Legislature as a vehicle of transforming and checking the activities of the executive and judiciary has been subjugated as far Nigeria democracy because the institution has been subjected to the political blackmail they are not as strong as the executive despite they are independent . Oftentimes, legislature is seen as trying to associate themselves with the executive to satisfy their selfish interest in fact in some instance they serve as deliberative body rather than the established body to make laws. We equally noticed during the Obasanjo’s administration legislature was being lobbied by the use of (Ghana must go). A popular bag made up of plastic that contain huge amount of money that would have been apportioned to each member so as to give a rubber stamp for a particular policy or programme to be formulated and executed even if will harm the socio-economic status of their people. This culture of impunity and corruption has been transplanted into the current regime to the extent that nobody will dare to face the executive whenever commit wrong thus legislative arm has becomes ineffective to correct the twins arm- executive and judiciary ,this regime also has employed different tactics to silences any opposition or attempts by legislature to preclude her from what the regime like it most to do even though the Jonathan’s regime is so sensitive to the opposition, cases involving corruptions and impunity. Another incursion of executive into the domain of legislature is what is obviously linked to the case of Boko Haram due to its inability to put down the terrorism in the north caused a widespread criticism and serious major debates in the NASS which led to the frequent imposition of state of emergency in the affected areas but in long run no result was yield as a result of this measure rather exacerbating it. Furthermore, an arms deals of pastor’s jets in S/Africa subjected to an exhaustive debates in Nigeria, president however uses a party politics to suppressed the attempts of legislature to probe the case especially those belong to his party PDP on the ground of national security is uncompromising it therefore should not under any circumstance let it out. The most powerful tool remained in the hands of legislature is the power of impeachment of executive when found guilty of gross misconduct but this instrument might not be appropriately use to impeach the erring president in Nigeria due to the cumbersome nature of the constitution and its processes. For the sake of national unity and integrity, an effort has being made by the legislature to impeach Jonathan this days, although they are facing tougher times of national disintegration but if they succeed, we will conclude that the legislature is an independent of executive in the context of Nigerian democracy because Nigeria politics is only vacillating between democracy and autocracy
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 08:11:28 +0000