Democracy in Decline: Reflecting on Two Years of Present Government

Today, June 12, is slated as Democracy day. Most unfortunately, in our present state, our dear country Nigeria cannot be justifiably classified as a democratic country. The vital indicators of democracy are noticeably absent. Some do not even exist.

Democracy is said to be ‘a government of the people, by the people, and for the people,’ yet none of these three measures exist in our democracy today. Rules, regulations and requirements to participate in elections or be elected for are not followed, consequently, individuals who are to be disqualified ab-initio are now holding public offices.

As we mark June 12, a day symbolizing the struggle for true democracy in Nigeria, it is deeply troubling that under this present administration in a short span of two years, our nation has witnessed broad erosion of democratic principles. There has been a corresponding decline in security and the quality of life for millions of Nigerians. We have traversed from rigged elections to collapsing social services; from soaring poverty to rising corruption; and from a seemingly stable economy to a parlous economy.

It is most troubling that in its two years in office, the present government has brought the nation to the point where our leaders now celebrate and endorse failure, lies, and propaganda. The government today, rather than show genuine accountability and measurable progress, focuses on manipulating narratives, gaslighting the public, shifting blame and weaponizing governance. Meanwhile, Nigerians live in a worsening and worrisome insecurity, widespread corruption, hunger, and general despondence. There are no clear benchmarks for measuring tangible development, as we continue to witness the collapse of key indicators - like education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation- which are parameters for measuring national progress.

Simple comparisons of what has happened in the past two years, now relies on propaganda and misinformation to mask the mis governance.

Our country today can best be described as a nation declining fast in all its facets. The security of lives and property has worsened, and the rule of law is virtually non-existent. These are the hard-verifiable facts:

1. On May 29th, 2023, when this government was sworn into office, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stood at $364 billion. As of today, it has declined to $188 billion, a decline of almost fifty percent (50%).

2. Nigeria’s GDP per capita was $1,640 as of May 2023, but today it has dropped drastically to about $835, a devastating decline of about 50%.

3. Nigerians living in multi-dimensional poverty increased from 38.9% to 54% within this period, with about 129 million Nigerians now living below the poverty line. The World Bank reported recently, that 75% of Nigerians in the rural area now live in poverty as at 2025, and even more than previously recorded in the urban areas.

4. Our education sector has deteriorated significantly. Today, more than 18.3 million Nigerian children are out of school, the highest number in the world. The quality of education in Nigeria is also fast deteriorating. Many of our children are being taught sciences without any science lab and computer studies without any computers. Students are now writing WAEC and other national exams in darkness relying on candles. There are now even glitches in their exams.

5. Health services have worsened drastically. The National Primary Health Care Development Agency decried that less than 20% of over 30,000 Primary Healthcare Centers across the nation are fully functional.

I have even recently visited some Health Centers where delivery rooms were without toilets. The United Nation recently reported Nigeria as the world's worst country to give birth, with one death recorded every seven minutes. 6. Nigerian businesses continue to collapse at alarming rates. Within the past two years, approximately 7 million Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) shut down and folded up across Nigeria. Over 80 manufacturing companies have permanently closed their operations.

The fundamental right to free speech is inextricably linked to the right to access information about government activities and decision-making. The alarming trend of government agents suppressing information unrelated to national security or interest underscores the urgent need for the Freedom of Information Bill. Citizens rely on journalists and the media to hold those in power accountable, particularly when governments err or overreach.

Now that the Presidential Jet has arrived.

From all indications, despite all the denials, and back and forth over the newly acquired Presidential aircraft, the jet is now here thanks to the French court that helped Nigerians to get the information. Now that the Jet is here, can Nigerian taxpayers whose money was used to purchase it need to be privy to how much it cost and how old the aircraft is and how long its been in operation.

A recent news story attributed to the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) regarding the decline in the standards of our university education has highlighted the significant challenges facing our education system. According to the Executive Secretary, the situation requires the production of more PhD holders to address these issues. However, the Executive Secretary's solution overlooks several obstacles, such as the unnecessarily prolonged time it takes to obtain a PhD in Nigeria and

Seizure of Presidential Jets- An International Embarrassment.

The trending international news on the seizure of three Jets belonging to Nigeria’s Presidential fleet is yet another of many embarrassing things exposing our failed leadership and our attitude to the rule of law even in a democracy. It has also exposed multiple dimensions to our leadership failure and our insensitivity to the plight of the growing poor class in our midst.

As the global community commemorates International Youth Day today, I add my voice in reminding us, the leaders, that youths remain the bedrock of the development of any country. Therefore, their future must be prioritized and placed in the front row of our development agenda. For a predominantly youthful nation, investing in our youths remains critical to overcoming many of the societal challenges we face today in trying to position the nation on the path of true development.

The loud message from the 2024 Olympics.

After I lamented Nigeria’s disastrous outing in the 2024 Paris Olympics yesterday, I would like Nigerians not to ignore the powerful message from the global sports event. While the giant of Africa finished without a single medal, where nine African countries won medals, Nigeria still registered some positives at the global event in a way that brought out glaringly our challenges. Four Nigerians came out shining at the Olympics because they operated in better environments where talents are recognized and

Now that the Paris Olympics 2024 has officially ended and our dear Team Nigeria, despite the huge financial investment made into the project, is returning without a single medal, let me unreservedly register my displeasure with the performance of our team and their handlers. The rascality and recklessness that has continued to characterise leadership in our nation in nearly every department. The general impression that has come to stick is the one that portrays our country as a joke, even on the international stage.

My Response to the President's Address - Obi

Having led the call for the President to address the nation and respond to the demands of the people, and having listened to the belated speech, I needed to delay my response to see if my understanding of the address was aligned with others. I hesitated to respond immediately, as I felt it could have been perceived as another attempt by Peter Obi to sway public opinion, especially since I was initially accused of sponsoring the protest.

I wish to most sincerely pass my condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives in the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests. I deeply mourn these brothers and sisters of ours, who have lost their lives in their struggle for a better nation. I do hope that their legitimate demands, within the law, will not go unanswered. I will continue to urge the protesters to be of good behaviour and remain peaceful in their actions.

I have noticed some deliberate and well-orchestrated efforts by some persons to blackmail me into conforming to some of their nefarious agendas. Their dubious moves have led to the false circulation of a video from my recent keynote speech at the installation of Rotarian Professor A. U. Nnonyelu in Anambra State. They have twisted the video to suit their motive to suggest that I declared war on Northerners when, in fact, I spoke about declaring war on economic stagnation, insecurity, and corruption.

Recently, the media was awash with a comment of disappointment credited to Alhaji Aliko Dangote, where he said that one of his wealthy friends who earlier discouraged him from investing in Nigeria, now mocks him, following the many challenges that have continued to contend with his business operations. My Dear Elder Brother, Alhaji Dangote, I want you to know that your friend is wrong. You did the right thing by investing in the productivity, growth, development and

Yesterday, I read my dear brother Kenneth Okonkwo's open letter in which he expressed differing views with me on the skirmishes in our party. And today I saw various responses to the letter. I want to therefore categorically and emphatically declare that Barrister Okonkwo remains my beloved brother and a trusted ally. I sternly caution against referring to him as a mole or making any negative remarks. Barr. Kenneth Okonkwo has stood by me through thick and thin,

Dangote Refinery Should Be Fully Supported, Not Vilified

The recent conflicts between Dangote Industries and some government agencies are deeply troubling. This issue transcends political affiliations and personal grievances. It is fundamentally about Nigeria’s economy, future, and the well-being of its citizens. Given Alhaji Dangote's significant contributions to Nigeria, it is crucial that these disputes are resolved swiftly. Government agencies should be directed to offer the necessary support for the seamless launch and operation of the

When Nigeria returned to democratic governance in 1999, it maintained an average GDP growth of about 6.72% for 16 years from 1999-2014. The impressive growth trajectory, unfortunately, was not sustained by the then-new government and our GDP growth collapsed to 2.79% in 2015 and

then sank into a recession in 2016 with a negative growth of -1.58% and 0.82% in 2017. For the past 9 years, Nigeria's economy has seen unprecedented retrogression on many fronts.

Today, after mass service, personal thanksgiving prayers, and reflection on the blessings of my birthday, I am filled with immense gratitude. I extend my heartfelt thanks to all who have sent me good wishes and supported me over the years. Your encouragement strengthens my resolve to work towards a better society for all, especially the less privileged.

We, the Nigerian political leaders, should take a strong lesson from the recent Kenyan experience. When the Kenyan public realized that their government was not making sufficient sacrifices and prioritizing resources effectively, they spoke out, demanded change, expressed their dissatisfaction, and protested. In response, the President demonstrated true Leadership by listening to the people's demands and acting accordingly, recognizing that government should be driven by the needs of the citizens, not by our own consumption agenda.

All available evidence has confirmed that the Nigerian government is implementing four national budgets concurrently. This is in blatant disregard for fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability. It is also a recipe for chaos, confusion, and catastrophe. This intentionally reckless action will lead to frivolous items in the approved budgets competing with essential projects for limited resources, further exacerbating the suffering of the Nigerian people.

The gruesome murders of General UH Udokwere (rtd) in his Abuja home and Joel Waksi, a fearless journalist, are a serious reminder of the failed state of our nation's security apparatus. That these heinous crimes occurred in the seat of power, Abuja, against an Army General and in a journalist's case, after being declared missing for five days, is a damning indictment of this government's inability to protect citizens. The fact that General Udokwere was killed in his own home, and Joel just was murdered days after being declared missing,

I am compelled to address the alarming exodus of multinational companies from Nigeria, which has cost our nation a staggering N95 trillion in the past five years. According to The New Telegraph, in the last year alone, over ten multinational giants such as GlaxoSmithKline, Equinor, Sanofi-Aventis, Bolt Food, Procter & Gamble, Jumia Food, PZ Cussons, and Kimberly-Clark, Diageo and others, have exited Nigeria, citing eerily consistent reasons.

At a time when our country is trending on the global media for facing its worst economic crisis, marked by high inflation, a falling currency, and widespread poverty, the government's plan to buy new presidential jets demonstrates extreme insensitivity to citizens' struggles. With rising insecurity, poverty, hunger, and homelessness, this decision highlights the disconnect between the government and the people. It is unacceptable and demands a more compassionate use of resources, prioritizing citizens' welfare.