Democracy is More about Welfare, Security

RingTrue By Yemi Adebowale

Phone 08054699539

Last Monday was another June 12, a day set aside to celebrate democracy and its icon in Nigeria, the late Moshood Abiola. As usual, it was an additional opportunity for lethargic politicians that have made democracy meaningless in beloved Nigeria, to grandstand about 24 years of uninterrupted democracy. They so much enjoy the ceremonial celebration of June 12. Democracy is the government of the people, for the people and by the people. Yes, everybody can’t directly stir the wheel of activities of government. Some people must be put forward for this and they must doggedly act to enhance the lives of the people. Regrettably, over the years, most of these people put forward at all levels of government persistently fail Nigerians.

Majority of our political leaders have failed to provide the dividends of democracy to our people in terms of security, welfare, justice and freedom, yet, they go about grandstanding about their beliefs and commitment to democracy on every Democracy Day. President Bola Tinubu, in his broadcast on June 12, reiterated his commitment to Democracy amid the hunger and pain in the land, heightened by the withdrawal of petrol subsidy. He apologised to Nigerians for the pains, forgetting that democracy is also about the welfare of the people, and the pains should not have happened in that manner.

On Democracy Day, President Tinubu eulogised Abiola and other martyrs of the June 12 struggle but forgot what they stood for in terms of the welfare of the people. MKO Abiola stood for the welfare of the people. Tinubu can’t say this about the welfare of Nigerians in his 20 days as President. For me, President Tinubu ought to be ready with concrete welfare policies for Nigerians before removing petrol subsidy. He did not do this, yet, he is talking about commitment to democracy.

The removal of fuel subsidy should have been a gradual one with concrete welfare plans. Adding almost N372 to a litre of petrol in one swoop is outright wickedness. The poor and the working class are gasping for breath. This is not what democracy is all about.

Governors across the states also celebrated June 12 Democracy Day. So sad that most of them have been showing very little commitment to the welfare of their people. Tattered public schools and hospitals litter most states where governors celebrated Democracy Day on June 12. They know that democracy is also about the welfare of the people, yet, they spend most of their time pummeling these people. You will find a governor living a life of extreme luxury, flying around in a private jet, while civil servants are owed months of salaries. Some governors spend more money on choice wines than on medications for public hospitals.

One very irritating example is that of former governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State who celebrated bizarre investments in flyovers amid ragged public schools and hospitals. This man called Wike equated welfare of the people with massive construction of flyovers. He did not understand the meaning of human capital development. While thousands of youths of the state are roaming the streets unemployed, Wike was busy constructing bogus and extremely expensive flyovers.

In this same rich Rivers State, where flyovers gulped billions of Naira, about 99.9 per cent of homes have no access to something as basic as public water supply, while the state’s pensioners are struggling to survive due to huge unpaid annuities. In fact, payment of pension and gratuities stopped immediately Wike became governor.

How can our political leaders be talking about commitment to democracy on June 12 celebration when security of the people is in a big mess across the country? Just seven days back, Fulani militias entered Barkin-Ladi and Riyom LGAs of Plateau State and killed 21 persons. I’m talking about human lives here. In eight years of Muhammadu Buhari as President, he failed woefully to recognise that securing the people is a key part of democracy. Tinubu must practically recognise that security is part of democracy. Unfortunately, nationwide security in 20 days of Tinubu as President has been horrible.

That was why Amnesty International on Tuesday lamented the killing of 123 people by terrorists in just 16 days of Tinubu as President. Amnesty urged the new government to ensure that protecting lives gets utmost priority and advised the federal and state governments to ensure that those suspected of criminal responsibility are urgently brought to justice in fair trials.

Amnesty said: “The Nigerian authorities are obliged under international human rights laws, regional human rights treaties, and Nigerian constitution to protect the rights of all people without discrimination. Protecting lives should be the utmost priority of the new government. The Nigerian authorities must urgently take steps to stop the bloodletting. The brazen failure of the authorities to protect the people of Nigeria is gradually becoming the norm in the country.”

Well, it is looking like the brazen failure of the federal government under Buhari to protect Nigerians is continuing under Tinubu. Twenty days after Tinubu’s inauguration, it is still business as usual for Boko Haram, ISWAP, Fulani militias, kidnappers, IPOB/ESN and all sorts of terror groups, ravaging our land and sending people to early graves. I have updated my figures and the result is that 152 people had been killed by terrorists across Nigeria as at June 16. The most daring of the attacks happened in Sokoto and Zamfara States, where terrorists killed over 63 persons early June.

Tinubu, in his inaugural speech, said he would defend the nation from terror and all forms of criminality that threaten the peace and stability of our country and our sub-region, adding, “Security shall be the top priority of our administration because neither prosperity nor justice can prevail amidst insecurity and violence. To effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security doctrine and its architecture. We shall invest more in our security personnel, and this means more than an increase in number. We shall provide better training, equipment, pay and firepower.”

Nigerians are yet to experience anything near Tinubu’s promise of security. I pray the brazen failure of Buhari in this vital area of security won’t continue. Insecurity must be tackled pragmatically.

Back to welfare of the people as a key part of democracy. It is pertinent to refresh our political leaders’ memory of a submission by Bill Gates, during a visit to Nigeria in 2018, on how government can provide dividends of democracy to the people. The Microsoft boss declared: “The most important choice Nigerian leaders can make is to maximise the country’s greatest resource, which is the people. Nigeria will thrive when every Nigerian is able to thrive. If you invest in their health, education, and opportunities – the human capital we are talking about today – then they will lay the foundation for sustained prosperity. If you don’t, however, then it is very important to recognise that there will be a sharp limit on how much the country can grow.”

Gates tried to redirect this country’s leaders to the path of sustainable progress by urging them to spend more on human capital development instead of splendor projects. This is the meaning of “government of the people.” This is what democracy and June 12 truly represent. MKO was in the Vanguard of the welfare of the people.

DSS Playing to the Gallery on Emefiele

The Department of State Services (DSS) again displayed its unending overzealousness during the arrest of the suspended CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele on June 10. The DSS is now known for playing to the gallery ever since this vital security agency came under the leadership of Yusuf Bichi. Emefiele’s arrival at the airport in Lagos and airlift to Abuja was recorded and leaked to the press by the DSS. Why this media trial? One of the DSS officers was even jokingly dangling a handcuff before the camera as Emefiele was climbing into the plane. Why even arrest him in the first place? All that is required for somebody at Emefiele’s level, is an invitation to their office and he would show up. Why all the razzmatazz?

There are allegations of terrorism financing, money laundering, and other economic crimes against the suspended CBN governor, which the DSS says it is still investigating. I won’t be surprised if the investigation is bungled at the end of the day. The DSS levelling allegations of money laundering, and other economic crimes against Emefiele? This is preposterous. This should be for the EFCC and not the DSS. It is the EFCC that has the legal right for this. Is Bichi and his boys saying they are not aware of this?

Of all the crime stories the DSS has been peddling against Emefiele, none of them look sustainable in any law court. They say they saw his branded campaign vehicles with terrorists, so he is involved in terrorism financing. So simplistic? Is this what the DSS will take to court? Where is the concrete evidence that he provided the vehicles to terrorists? What will Emefiele at his level gain by financing terrorism?

I remember that one of Bichi’s men appeared before Justice John Tsoho on December 15, 2022, asking for permission to arrest Emefiele over these same thoughtless allegations of terrorism financing and fraudulent practices.

Justice Tsoho, upon perusal of the documents submitted by the DSS, captures the ricketiness of the application thus: “The entire affidavit depositions, especially as per paragraph 4 of the supporting affidavit, purport that preliminary investigation has revealed various acts of terrorism financing, fraudulent activities perpetrated by the respondent and his involvement in economic crimes of national security dimension. These are no doubt grave allegations, but which the applicant has not presented any concrete evidence to support. The applicant should have taken the court into confidence while seeking the exercise of its discretion in favour of granting the application.”

Simply put, the affidavit submitted to Justice Tsoho did not substantiate or provide any material fact of terrorism and corruption against Emefiele.

Honestly, the DSS under Bichi remains an embarrassment to this country. Tinubu must end this by removing the DSS boss.

Confession of Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa

Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, the lawmaker who represented Bauchi North in the 9th Senate did not tell us anything new about the corruption in the Nigerian bench. But he showed great courage in drawing attention to the sleaze. During the valedictory session of the Senate earlier this week, Bulkachuwa revealed how his wife, Zainab Bulkachuwa helped him and some of his colleagues when she was the President of the Court of Appeal.

Senator Bulkachuwa, whose wife was the first female head of the court of appeal, revealed that he influenced her decisions as head of the appeal court and extended the same to his colleagues. He wanted to start mentioning the names of the beneficiaries but was quickly stopped by President of the 9th Senate, Ahmad Lawan, saying, “distinguished, I don’t think this is a good idea going in this direction.”

The Nigerian bench is in a mess, with so much corruption. Judgements are largely procured with big cash. Senator Bulkachuwa’s confession is good. The National Judicial Council, NJC, needs to dig in further, to arrest the rot in the bench. Anti-corruption agencies must also dig in.

Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, rightly pointed out, “Senator Bulkachuwa’s statement at the Valedictory of the 9th senate is a monumental disgrace for our institutions. This man deserves to be taken up immediately by the authorities. It is a blight on my confidence in our systems. I represented Usman Tuggar in relation to the disputed elections between him and senator Bulkachuwa for Bauchi North senatorial. We lost in three courts. Senator Bulkachuwa seems to suggest why.”