By: Valentine Adese (JP) and Alfred Saiki,
Renowned Legal Luminary, Prof. Mike Ozekhome has opined that Democracy is not moving in Nigeria and Africa at large, because the Elites in Africa have hijacked the system and converted it into their advantage.
Chief Prof. Mike (SAN) in an interview with Journalists at the Plateau State High Court premises, after appearing in Petition No: EPT/PL/SEN/06/2023, filed by Golkuna Yohanna Gottom and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who are challenging the election of the Plateau Central Senatorial District and the declaration of Sen. Diket Plang as the winner said, Democracy is not moving in Africa because the people for whom democracy is made for are not enjoying it, they are just” onlookers”, while the elites, who have become state captors take advantage.
Adding that, “So what’s going on in Nigeria is what goes on in every Africa country and that’s why you’re seeing coups everywhere”.
IN PART, CHIEF MIKE (SAN) SAID:-
“Democracy is not moving in Africa because, the people for whom democracy is made for are not enjoying it, they are just” onlookers”, while the elites, who have become state captors. Less than one percent of Nigeria’s Two Hundred and Twenty Two Million population won’t allow democratic dividends to come to the people. Democracy was designed on 19th November 1863 by the former American President, Abraham Lincoln during his declaration he said that, his government to the people, for the people and by the people, but in Nigeria we are having the government to the elites, for the elites and by the elites.
“So what’s going on in Nigeria is what goes on in every Africa country and that’s why you’re seeing coup everywhere.
“Coup makers don’t write letters to say, on so and so date we are going to strike. They look at the environment, the conclusiveness of the environment that shows that, the rule of law has broken down, the economic has broken down, that state actors are now more powerful than a legitimately constituted government and challenging a sitting government legitimacy by having their own government, creating local government areas and raising their flags up, giving identity cards and pass to non-indigenes.
“That’s either a failed state or a failing state and in a failing state, anything can happen!
“So, that’s what you see playing out in Africa, I don’t wish it for Nigeria because Nigeria with a population of over Two Hundred and Twenty Million people, it would be terrible, if such occurs here.
“But, my prayer to any Government in Power is to say, don’t take the people for granted and give democratic dividends to the people so that the people will not continue to be on the receiving end. If that goes on and on, it will be a case of “Pukin Way saying that, “Hem mama no go sleep, if hem too no go sleep”.
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