By: Emmanuel Abi Couson
African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Director Media and Publicity of “ADC Media Frontier,’ Amb Tammy Lucky Opone said Nigeria democracy is suffering from ‘selectocracy’ ‘
In a press statement made available to the media, he alluded to the fact that Nigeria fourth Republic which began since 1999 as nascent stage, should grow into a more mature and robust system of governance, which is not the case.
According to him, what we are experiencing is now ‘selectocracy ‘ where some people are being selected and forced on the masses in the guise of democracy.
Taking a case study from Rivers State, the statement reads: ”I saw an official post made by one LGA handle in Rivers state with the captioned ‘list of names that have been chosen and agreed by the LGA to contest for the positions of LGA chairman and vice and also the councilors.’
This simply means no one can contest for any elected position outside those names and if you for any reason you do, the community will not vote for you cause your name was not listed among the other names .
No one can carryout his constitutional right by contesting freely without the LGA approval and by that if for any reason that candidate is winning the election they will rig it cause his or her name is not listed by the community
Which means we have moved from democracy to selectcracy .. our leaders are now selected by a sets of persons even though we don’t like them we have to take them cause a person or group of persons have said so
The politics of anointing someone as a son to be in a position without the people making their choice is not democratic, it does not give the people the free will to make their choice of who or who they want to lead them, this action has ended the era of manifesto whereby the candidate owes the people what he or she is coming to do base on the people’s problems..
But as it stands now in Rivers State, the people don’t have a say it choice but whatever one of those political godfathers wants or wish…. But this the leader only carryout the wish of his master and not the people …this can be seen in the issue between fct minister wike and governor FUBARA'”
ADC media frontiers, one of the media arm of ADC coalition party frowns at this and call for Rivers State people to kick against such imposition and join force with ADC where they can vote freely and be voted for without any selection…
In ADC everyone is allowed to aspire for any position and the will of majority is respected while the minority will have their say.
Continuing he said ADC is ready to grow Nigeria democracy in a progressive and conducive environment that involves strengthening democratic institutions, enhancing citizen participation, and fostering a culture of accountability and respect for the rule of law.
The only thing that makes things bad is when you give it to the wrong people to manage .
