● “It’s not just failing but dying…,” he asserts
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said on Monday in Abuja that democracy was not only failing but also dying in Africa even as he asserted that the system of government might go into extinction.
Obasanjo, who chaired a colloquium to mark the 60th birthday of a former Imo State governor, Emeka Ihedioha, declared that democracy in Africa was in the reverse gear owing largely to the greed and wickedness of leaders.
The former president urged African leaders to “practise democracy that delivers the dividends to citizens.”
The former President said that democracy should ordinarily be a government for all the people and not a few to the detriment of many.
He added that African leaders had betrayed the essence of democracy because “they get into power and appropriate the wealth of the people to themselves and a few cronies.”
Obasanjo called for a reversal of the trend if democracy was to survive and thrive in Africa.
He praised the celebrator, Emeka Ihedioha, whom he said had remained steadfast and unperturbed even in the face of injustice against him.
Apparently referring to Ihedioha’s ouster by the Supreme, which awarded the governorship seat to a candidate who was fourth in the election, he said that “Emeka is a determined person. You are gentleman and good-hearted.”
Guest speaker and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto diocese Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah advocated democracy that cared for all, not a few.
Stay ahead with the latest updates! Join The ConclaveNG on WhatsApp and Telegram for real-time news alerts, breaking stories, and exclusive content delivered straight to your phone. Don’t miss a headline — subscribe now!
