Regina Otokpa 
Leading statesmen, scholars and activists on Saturday warned that Nigeria’s democracy was haemorrhaging legitimacy, delivering too little for too many, and risks losing public faith if urgent reforms were not undertaken.
The warning was issued at a leadership colloquium held in honour of Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who was a former Speaker of the House of Representatives and also an ex-Governor of Sokoto State, as part of activities marking his 60th birthday in Abuja.
The high-level gathering drew some of the nation’s most influential democratic voices and a panel session that spoke to the keynote address titled “The Future of Democratic Governance in Nigeria: Pathways to National Cohesion, Human Security and Economic Renewal,” delivered by a representative of former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega.
Moderating the panel, former Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi warned that democracy was in retreat globally and regionally, even as he equally warned that after more than 25 years of uninterrupted civil rule, Nigerians were deeply dissatisfied with governance outcomes.
According to Fayemi, across Africa, coups and authoritarianism were feeding on democratic failure.
He said: “All over the globe, democracy is in recession. When you look at the rise of coups in the Sahel in the last two to three years, we have seen failed and successful coups in nine countries, six of them in West Africa; Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Niger, Chad and Guinea-Bissau. That should worry all democrats.”
Fayemi noted that authoritarianism was rising not only through brute force but also through what he described as “constitutional coups.”
“Some leaders are using the instrumentality of the constitution to subvert democracy. We have heard of third-term agendas in many countries. So clearly, the quality of democracy is declining.”
He, however, stressed that public commitment to democracy remains strong saying, “All respected surveys show that while democracy is declining, our people are still committed to it.
Afrobarometer tells us that about 80 per cent of Africans believe in democracy and reject one-party rule or one-man rule.
But the 2025 survey also shows a worrying acceptance of military takeovers where elected leaders have captured the state and turned it against the people.”
Turning to Nigeria, Fayemi noted that citizens’ discontent was cumulative, even as he argued that elections alone were no longer sufficient to address Nigeria’s democratic deficit.
“After 25, 26 years of democratisation, Nigerians are not happy with what they are seeing. Democracy has not delivered in terms of economic benefits, quality of life, security and progress. This is not the failure of one administration alone, it is collective.”
“Elections do not a democracy make. Elections are important, but they are not sufficient. Majoritarian democracy is not working for us.
“We need to consider proportional representation if we want every vote to count.”
Citing the 2023 presidential election, Fayemi said legitimacy questions were inevitable.
“The winner had 37 per cent of the vote; 37 per cent of about 20 per cent turnout. Other contestants with significant votes were effectively excluded. Democracies that work are built on national consensus.”
The former Ekiti State Governor warned that “Nigeria’s “winner-takes-all” politics had become corrosive to national cohesion.
“Even when people of capacity and competence emerge, if leadership recruitment is purely majoritarian, every four years rolling out drums for elections,.we will not have democracy.”
Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi reinforced the warning, stressing that Africa’s coups were a mirror of democratic failure rather than popular rejection of democracy.
“People want democracy, but they don’t like what they see. They don’t like state capture. They don’t like politicians making politics about themselves rather than the people.
Utomi, warned that Nigeria was flirting with existential danger saying, “If we don’t deal with these issues honestly, digest them and act, the possibility exists that Nigeria can actually become Sudan.
“Democracy matters. Africans want democracy, but they don’t like what democracy has become.”
Utomi criticised what he called the dangerous search for a messiah, “The problem of this country is that we are looking for one great man to save us.
“What we need is collective responsibility, a group of elites that can hold leaders accountable.”
Drawing from history, he lamented the loss of democratic culture saying President Shagari was a true democrat.
“He believed in the views of all those who counted. That culture is not happening today, and that is why we are searching for messiahs.”
Also speaking on the panel, Political activist and civil society leader Usman Bugaje declared Nigeria’s democracy unsustainable on its current trajectory, as he identified failed political parties as the foundation of the crisis.
“Democracy is receding. Democracy is not delivering. If we continue like this, democracy is not sustainable. We have parties full of big men but no big ideas. What does any party stand for?
“Where is the vision? Countries that developed; South Korea, Japan, Singapore had a big idea and pursued it. We don’t.”
Bugaje also accused institutions of subverting the people’s will. “It is as if INEC is there to rig elections rather than conduct elections. People waited in the rain during the last election.
“Results were announced in the middle of the night. If votes don’t count, stop talking about democracy.”
On governance, he said the social contract had collapsed as he stated, “Citizens obey laws and pay taxes because government promises security and welfare.
“Where is the security? Where is the welfare? Poverty has doubled. Insecurity is unprecedented. On what basis should government exist?”
Bugaje warned that Nigeria’s future demographics made reform unavoidable.
“In 25 years, Nigeria will be over 400 million people. Africa will look to Nigeria for leadership.
“But our politicians are busy asking whose turn it is to rule. That mindset is destroying democracy.”
Former Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Nnenna Ukeje described Nigeria’s democracy as one that sidelines its majority, the women and youths.
“Over 50 per cent of Nigeria’s population is excluded from mainstream democracy. More than 70 per cent of Nigerians are below 40, yet youth representation is next to nothing,” she said.
Ukeje however questioned assumptions about elite consensus saying, “When we talk of elite consensus, we assume there is a thriving, empowered elite.
Post-colonial Nigeria today is one of the most disempowered societies. Illiteracy is high, forged certificates are rampant, and this raises the question: is this elite ready to drive inclusion?”
She insisted that democracy could not be outsourced to politicians alone.
“The most important office in democracy is the office of the citizens. Unless citizens decide to hold leaders accountable, we will never have real inclusion or representative democracy.”
Despite the sombre reflections, speakers repeatedly turned to Tambuwal as a symbol of unfinished democratic work. In a direct charge to the celebrant, the panelists said his service to Nigeria was far from over
