UGHELLI/Nigeria: Dr. Charles Apoki, has delivered a scathing critique of Nigeria’s democratic system, declaring that citizens have largely lost ownership of governance and warning that the country risks deeper dysfunction if urgent reforms are not implemented.
Speaking at the 3rd Advocate Lecture Series organised by Advocate Publication Ltd, publishers of Advocate Newspaper, Apoki said Nigeria’s democracy has drifted far from its foundational ideals, with governance increasingly detached from the will and welfare of the people.
“That is not democracy. Democracy is government of the people, by the people, and for the people. But in Nigeria today, the people do not own the government,” he said.
Apoki attributed the widening gap between the electorate and leadership to political ignorance and the monetisation of the electoral process, noting that many citizens trade their voting power for short-term gains.
“Nigerians sell their rights for small amounts of money, and politicians turn personal interests into public concerns,” he stated, adding that many political actors lack clear and actionable development plans.
He further decried the high cost of politics in Nigeria, describing it as a major barrier to credible leadership and a driving force behind poor governance outcomes.
“Politics in Nigeria is too expensive. Those who win often focus on recovering their expenses rather than serving the people, leading to a system dominated by godfathers,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Delta Central Senator, Ede Dafinone, called for a shift from rhetoric to practical governance, stressing that electoral victories must translate into tangible benefits for citizens.
“I am always glad when conversations like this move beyond identifying problems to offering real solutions,” Dafinone said. “It is easy to talk about what is wrong, but far more important to focus on how we can fix it.”
The lecture, themed “From Ballot to Patronage: Why Electoral Victory Fails to Deliver Good Governance in Nigeria,” drew stakeholders from across the political and civic space, with discussions centred on bridging the gap between electoral success and governance delivery.
Dafinone addressed concerns about a potential one-party dominance ahead of the 2027 elections, describing the wave of political defections as a recurring mid-term trend in Nigeria’s democratic history since 1999.
“As we approach the 2027 elections, many Nigerians are expressing concerns about a possible one-party state. However, this is a common mid-term political trend we have seen since 1999,” he explained.
He also reflected on improvements in Nigeria’s electoral process, particularly in 2023, while noting that challenges such as vote-buying persist due to a lack of trust in the system.
“In 2023, Nigerians were more aware and votes were more credible. However, we still face the problem of vote-buying, which reflects a deeper issue—many Nigerians feel their votes do not count,” he said.
The senator further defended recent economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies, describing them as difficult but necessary decisions taken in the long-term interest of the country.
“Previous leaders avoided these decisions to remain popular, but the current administration chose the hard path. I want to assure Nigerians that the benefits will come,” he added.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of Advocate Publication Ltd, Shedrack Onitsha, said the lecture theme was chosen to interrogate the disconnect between electoral victories and governance outcomes.
“Over the years, we have discovered that election does not translate to good governance. Governments come with promises, but at the end, there is little to show,” he said.
The event, held at Wetland Hotel, Ughelli, Delta State, featured panel discussions and goodwill messages from dignitaries, including representatives of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, as participants called for reforms to strengthen institutions and ensure that democracy delivers real dividends to Nigerians.
The subsidy removal will soon yield success when after deceiving us to gain 2nd term ambition or when?