‘Nigeria’s Political System, a Criminal Process’

Segun James and Funmi Ogundare

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Pensions Alliance Limited, Mr. Funso Doherty has described the Nigerian political system as a criminal process which must change for Nigeria to move forward in the comity of nations.

Doherty who stated this while fielding questions from newsmen, yesterday, in Lagos, lamented that voter apathy which plagued the last election may repeat itself in 2023, unless the political class rejigs the way politics is being played in the country, saying “right now, it is more like a commercial or criminal process.”

He insisted since the political class have a critical role to play in shaping the minds of voters and in demanding for the best, they must shape up now, in the interest of the country.

He compared Nigeria to Singapore and other developed countries asking if those countries are smarter and more endowed in terms of resources.

Doherty was also not proud about the quality of leadership in Nigeria, saying the country ought to have a critical mass of people in leadership who should drive the right outcome.

He listed some of the metrics for measuring the quality of a nation to include; quality education, health care, low rate of inflation, quality of life of the people, resources, among others, saying that with these for metrics, it is not something to be proud of in Nigeria.

Doherty asked,” Why is it that Nigeria has been faced with a shortage of leadership? What would we say we have gained in the past 25 years since we have had a democratic elected leadership?

He expressed concern about the quality of leadership being practiced in the country, describing it as ‘money politics.’

According to him,”when you look at it, it becomes a commercial/criminal enterprise. When you look at the process over the years, people have felt that their votes will not count and their lives will not change.”

He listed some of the ways that would change the polity for the better to include; ensuring that votes count, ensuring credible alternatives that must represent the interest of the people, changing the psyche of the electorates by giving them something to hope for, as well as awakening the youths.

He described public office as a trust, nothing that a lot of people run away from it because it is rough, even as he also described democracy in Nigeria as, “government of the people, by some people for themselves.”

This process, he warned, must change in the interest of the nation.