According to Segun Showunmi, the head of the Alternative Movement, Nigerians have relegated democratic engagement to “skit making.”
Without citizens’ active engagement, he said, politicians are able to influence the democratic process.
This was said by him on Friday at his mansion in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, while hosting members of the Action Alliance and the Labour Party.
The leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) went on to say that politicians frequently utilise voter IDs of people who don’t actually cast ballots in order to manipulate and inflate the tally on election day.
To start with, Showunmi argued, “If you don’t take part in a democracy, then it doesn’t have any value.” You have made this democracy look like a circus, Nigerians. You have decided against becoming a member of any political party. Sure, they’ll have you gather PVCs; you might even be a little hesitant to do so, but you’ll need them for identification purposes.
Over 90 million PVCs have reportedly been produced in Nigeria thus far. Although I am unsure of our current mortality rate, I do think that the influx of younger individuals into the space exceeds it.
Regrettably, Nigeria is among the countries with the most negative and disruptive discourse when it comes to discussions on politics, governance, development, and political figures. Participation is the only reasonable course of action, as one would expect from a populace that discusses these matters in every possible setting, including homes, beer halls, schools, television, radio, and everywhere else.
He warned that citizen indifference is a major problem confronting the country and urged everyone to raise awareness within their own households.
“This goes beyond just voting booths now. It is the height of irresponsibility for us Nigerians to constantly gripe about how the government is failing us without ever taking part in any solutions. We must return to our families and convince our fellow citizens to wake up.
We have made our nation’s democratic process far more difficult. In the midst of the committee of nations, how can we possibly make it through 2027 unscathed? For the simple reason that it defies logic to claim to engage in democratic processes when only members of the ruling party are up for election.
At the same time, he pleaded with politicians, especially those from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to cease attributing their failures to the Electoral Act. He said, “We did not sign an Electoral Act so that it can fit the thinking of serial contestants,” stressing that the law is applicable to all, including those who may run for office in the future.
Rather than griping about the electoral process, he urged them to concentrate on engaging the grassroots and strengthening their party’s capabilities.
Before Showunmi took the stage, Prof. Tunde Adebola, the state chairman of the Action Alliance, reaffirmed the party’s intention to support him in his bid for governor in the upcoming election.