Nigeria @ 65: Democracy Exists Only In Abuja, Not In States – Adeyanju

As Nigeria marks its 65th Independence Day, quality rights activistic and ineligible practitioner, Deji Adeyanju, has raised concerns astir the authorities of democracy, governance, and information successful the country, informing that the federation was “not making disposable progress.”

In a connection released connected Tuesday, Adeyanju said ideology successful Nigeria appeared to beryllium centralised successful the Federal Capital Territory (FcT) Abuja portion it’s “almost non-existent astatine the subnational levels.” He argued that authorities governors wield excessive powers without capable checks.

“Our governors wield excessive powerfulness with small to nary accountability and they are shielded from scrutiny adjacent arsenic their salaries and allowances proceed to rise,” helium noted.

Citing a 2024 confrontation betwixt the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and 19 authorities governors, Adeyanju recalled however the anti-graft bureau was astir crippled. “Less than a twelvemonth ago, 19 authorities governors astir crippled the EFCC. But for the involution of the judiciary, the combat against corruption would person suffered a fatal blow.”

Adeyanju besides criticised the deficiency of compliance with the Supreme Court judgement connected section authorities autonomy, describing it arsenic grounds of selective obedience to the regularisation of law. “This aforesaid disregard for accountability is the aforesaid crushed that the judgement of the Supreme Court connected section authorities autonomy remains mostly unenforced. Leaders cannot prime and take which laws to obey. True ideology indispensable beryllium rooted successful accountability astatine each level, not conscionable successful the Federal Capital Territory,” helium stressed.

Turning his attraction to the national cabinet, Adeyanju said lone a fistful of ministers were actively discharging their responsibilities portion the remainder “are lone ministers by portfolio.” According to him, “Only astir 4 of our ministers are disposable and working; the remainder are missing successful action. A state of Nigeria’s magnitude and challenges cannot spend shade ministers.”

On insecurity, the activistic lamented the spate of unit crossed the country, saying independency has small meaning without information for citizens. “Independence means thing without security. Nigeria indispensable urgently fortify its interior and territorial information truthful that citizens tin consciousness harmless successful their homes, connected their roads, and wrong their communities. Every different time we perceive of “unknown gunmen” unleashing panic crossed the nation. This cannot continue,” Adeyanju said.

He concluded by calling for a renewed committedness to gathering a federation wherever democracy, accountability, and information are realities for each Nigerians and not conscionable the privileged few. “Independence Day, to me, should not conscionable beryllium a day connected the calendar. It should beryllium an ongoing enactment of gathering a federation wherever democracy, accountability, and information are existent for each Nigerian, not conscionable a privileged few,” Barrister Adeyanju declared.