Our democracy yet to translate to economic security – Nnenna Ukeje

A former federal lawmaker, Nnenna Elendu Ukeje, said that Nigeria’s Fourth Republic has failed to deliver economic security and empowerment for citizens, despite over two decades of democratic governance.

Ukeje, who chaired the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs during the 7th and 8th Assemblies, made the remarks while delivering the keynote address as Guest Speaker at the 23rd Daily Trust Annual Dialogue in Abuja on Thursday.

The former legislator argued that while elections in Nigeria remain vibrant, governance has steadily collapsed, deepening poverty, institutional decay, and political disillusionment.

“Nigeria votes, but accountability remains weak. Institutions are not rules-based. Public confidence in leadership is declining,” she said, citing statistics showing that over 70 per cent of Nigerians are dissatisfied with how democracy functions in the country.

She also noted declining voter participation as a warning sign, pointing out that turnout in presidential elections dropped from 52 per cent in 1999 to just 26.7 per cent in 2023, reflecting growing political disillusionment rather than apathy.

Ukeje said Nigeria’s democracy has not translated into economic security for citizens, highlighting grim poverty indicators.

Quoting World Bank data, she said over 75 per cent of Nigerians now live below the UN poverty threshold of $2 per day, representing more than 133 million people in multidimensional poverty, up from 87 million in 2018. A PwC projection suggests this could rise to 141 million by 2026.

“Democracy is not validated by longevity alone; it is validated by outcomes,” she said, stressing that widespread poverty, insecurity and institutional failure undermine the credibility of the democratic experiment.

She also warned that Nigeria may be drifting toward a de facto one-party state, citing incessant defections, shrinking political space and heightened intolerance of opposition voices.

Ukeje drew a sharp distinction between elections and governance, describing elections as “episodic contests for power” and governance as “the continuous responsibility of using power responsibly.”

“The paradox of the Fourth Republic is that while politics is vibrant, democracy remains fragile and governance is receding. Democracy appears unable to resolve Nigeria’s core challenges: insecurity, multidimensional poverty, and declining accountability,” she said.

The former lawmaker warned that Nigeria’s long-standing fault lines are being exacerbated by economic inequality, partisan media, distrust in institutions, and the misuse of digital tools such as social media, deepfakes and computational propaganda.

She also noted emerging regional tensions, with grievances growing in parts of the South over perceived uneven resource allocation.

On gender, Ukeje described Nigeria’s low representation of women in political office as a governance failure, not merely a gender issue.

She said women hold less than six per cent of political offices, with only four female senators and 16 women in the House of Representatives. Fifteen states have no female representation in their legislatures.

She urged the 10th National Assembly to pass the long-stalled special seats bill, citing evidence that inclusive leadership produces better governance outcomes.

As an example, she cited former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, whose tenure led to Nigeria’s landmark $18 billion debt relief deal in 2005.

“That was not symbolic inclusion; it was measurable national gain,” Ukeje said.

Ukeje also expressed concern over declining trust in the judiciary, noting that nearly 80 per cent of Nigerians have little or no confidence in the courts due to perceived political influence, delays and erosion of integrity.

She warned that when “politics and judgeship intersect, democracy becomes the casualty.”

The former lawmaker lamented the erosion of National Assembly independence, blaming high turnover, weak institutional memory and executive interference for the perception of a “rubber-stamp legislature.”

She criticised recent controversial legislation, including alleged distortions in tax laws, warning that such practices cast doubt on the integrity of lawmaking.

She also questioned the legislature’s oversight role amid ballooning deficits, rising debt servicing costs and opaque infrastructure projects such as the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway.

Ukeje said Nigeria shows unmistakable signs of democratic exhaustion, including voter apathy, youth disengagement, separatist agitation, and rising cynicism.

She warned that institutions meant to defend democracy are increasingly being weaponised against it.

“We must stop dancing to the loud music of elections and start looking for the lifeboats of governance,” she said, calling for a shift from democracy as power acquisition to democracy as service.

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