Analyst Highlights 2 Weakest Links in Nigeria’s Democracy, Calls for Reform

• Austin Aigbe of CDD identifies Nigeria’s leadership selection process as the main obstacle to democratic progress
• Austin criticizes Nigerian political parties for failing to promote genuine democratic participation, unlike their counterparts in the US and UK
• Aigbe highlights the trust deficit in the electoral system, noting that voter disillusionment, evidenced by low turnout in 2023, will persist until reforms are made

FCT, Abuja – Austin Aigbe, Senior Program Officer at the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), has pinpointed Nigeria’s leadership selection process as the greatest challenge to the country’s democracy.

Speaking with Legit.ng Aigbe emphasized that addressing this issue would help resolve many problems plaguing the democratic system.

Austin described Nigeria’s political parties as the weakest link, noting that, unlike in countries like the US and the UK, Nigerian political parties often fail to foster genuine democratic participation.

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Aigbe also lamented the significant trust deficit within the system, which he believes deters citizens from fully participating in elections.

“Until we address the systemic decay and rebuild trust in the electoral process, citizens will remain disillusioned,” he stated.

He pointed out the low voter turnout in Nigeria’s 2023 elections as evidence of this disenchantment, adding that many Nigerians are no longer willing to vote due to a lack of confidence in the system.

Drawing a comparison with Ghana, Aigbe praised the country’s voter turnout rate of 78 per cent and stressed that Nigerians would be more inclined to vote if they trusted that the system would deliver fair and transparent results.

He, therefore, stressed the need for reforms to ensure the Nigerian electoral system can restore public faith and encourage greater civic engagement.

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Ex-lawmaker, others leave APC for PDP

In another development, Legit.ng reported that former House of Representatives member Kabiru Classic has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Classic represented Anka/Talata Mafara Federal Constituency from 2019-2023.

The lawmaker cited the lack of justice and fairness in Zamfara‘s PDP chapter as his reason for defecting.

Source: Legit.ng