‘Nigeria Practising Modified Form of Democracy, Not Western Style’

Okon Bassey in Uyo

A former federal lawmaker, Hon. Nduese Essien, has stated that the presidential style of western democracy being practised in Nigeria is not yet a failure in spite of the contrary opinion shared by a cross section of the Nigerian society.

Essien, a one time member of House of Representatives, reacted during the weekend to a statement that was credited to former President Olusegun Obasanjo that the western-styled democracy being practiced by Nigeria is not working for the country and Africa.

Essien, who is also a former Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, said that what has been practiced in Nigeria since the return of democracy ìn1999 is not the presidential system of the western democracy but a modified form of democracy by the operators of the system.

“This was an interesting assessment by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, but he took it out of context with realities on ground. Western style democracy has not failed in Nigeria because we have not practiced it according to the rules.

“We inherited the parliamentary system from the colonial masters and that is a system of democratic government where the head of government drives their democratic legitimacy from the ability to command the support of the legislature.

“This worked up to the independence supervised by the colonial masters. By 1966 the military said that it was marred by corruption so they discarded it.

“But in 1979 we adopted the presidential system. That also worked for four years until the military struck again under the excuse of petty corruption.

 “By 1999 we resumed with the presidential system, which of course involved rigid adherence to the separation of powers between the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. So in 1999 the system was delivered safely.

 “But the operators of the system decided to modify the separation of powers and put all organs of government under the control of the executive and called it ‘guided democracy.’

“The executive embarked on deciding the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House and the leadership of the National Assembly.

“So we reached a stage where the executive decided to take full control of the National Assembly by selecting tits leadership. Thereafter they went on to choose and remove the leadership of the parties under the whims and caprices of the president.

“Next, the judiciary fell into the hands of the executive. Then the electoral process fell into the hands of the executive. So what we have practiced since 1999 is not the presidential system of western democracy, but a modified form which I would agree with Obasanjo is Afro Democracy.

“Let us not blame the western democracy, let us blame ourselves for introducing our own version of democracy with unending modifications to bring every institution under the control of the head of government to ensure the next election is won.

“Let us find some other excuse for not doing well, and not be blaming Western democracy.”