Former Military Administrator of Oyo and Taraba states and retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Amen Oyakhire, in this interview with JETHRO IBILEKE, says Nigeria’s democracy exists mainly for those in government and the business class.

Are you satisfied with the outcome of Nigeria’s democratic practice from 1999 till date?

The advent of democracy in 1999 threw up an inept and irascible political leadership that has consistently put Nigeria on a steady decline in all parameters of governance. Nigeria has lost political direction. She is unconsciously but rapidly descending into anarchy, despondency, financial and moral infamy. Government is entrusted in Nigeria mainly to undeserving people, as a result, integrity is lost and citizens suffer untold hardships. Our clime is one of blurred vision, blackmail, culture of frivolity, impunity and failure of a system. Our perverted presidential system is preposterously wasteful. It is more costly here than in America from where it was borrowed. The attitude, knowledge and skills required to perform effectively in a democracy are not born, not bought, but acquired or learnt through formal and informal education over a period of time.

Democracy is a contract. It presupposes that a government in a country must do something for the people so that they can also do theirs for the country. It involves consultations, alliance and consensus building, which are crucial for initiating ideas and implementing successful public policies designed to enhance the level of welfarism and political acceptability. Sadly, democracy has been widely abused. There is no respect for the primacy of merit principle, accountability, transparency, commitment, diligence and honesty in the management of public affairs by politicians. There is indiscipline, greed and insincerity in the ranks of the political class. Politicians behave as if democracy is exclusively theirs, but democracy is indeed for all citizens regardless of partisanship. Democracy is dynamic, allows free participation, advocates freedom of choice and the right to seek power by all qualified people.

The judiciary, the executive and the legislature are the three democratic arms of government in Nigeria. The judiciary has to a reasonable extent hitherto effectively checked some excesses of the executive, the overbearing and abrasive tendencies of the legislature as well as the tyranny of some overzealous members of the judiciary itself. The judiciary is one of the major pillars of the people’s freedom as it ensures the liberty of all citizens. By its diligent consistency, in the fair and firm interpretation of laws, each arm of the “unholy trinity” has relatively confined itself to its prescribed authority in the constitution. As an indispensable arm of government, it plays a fundamental role of maintaining social stability between government and the governed. Truly, in terms of funding or monetary appropriation, the judiciary is irritatingly the weakest among the three arms, yet, it remains the only arm that visibly protects the rights of Nigerians against anarchy, infamy and despotism.

One major problem in Nigeria’s democracy is the existence of an unhealthy electoral body called Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. The commission is largely not independent. Every successive election conducted by INEC after 1999 suffered loss of credibility. Two major national elections, conducted in 2003 and 2007, produced the most controversial, highly discredited, notoriously unreliable and widely cancelled results in Nigeria’s political history. The 2011 national election did not witness a major radical departure from the floppy parody of the past. Sadly, each election was most often seriously marred by poor organisation, widespread procedural irregularities, lack of essential transparency, significant evidence of fraud during the collation of results, disenfranchisement of voters at different stages, lack of equal conditions for contestants and numerous incidents of violence. Violence affects the integrity of an election because it undermines authority and its legitimacy. Previous elections did not live up to the hopes and expectations of most Nigerians because the process was largely not credible.

A credible electoral body is inevitable as a fundamental requirement for sustainable democracy, competent leadership, genuine development, growth and international respectability. Properly conducted election will be free, fair, peaceful and transparent…

Democracy is participatory governance, often traditionally established through partisanship and the instrumentality of people. When representatives become government with interests opposed to the represented, the government is separated from its citizenry and thus effectively disenfranchised. Nigeria’s democracy exists mainly for those in government and the business class, excluding most Nigerians who see themselves in pernicious inter-generational-poverty. Nigerians have no true democracy yet but civil rule in which indiscipline largely prevails. Nigeria does not need a bi-cameral legislature. Parliamentary system of governance is better, simpler, less costly and more accountable. Our’s is the world’s most preposterously wasteful and most recklessly expensive democracy.

In nine years, federal government, states and local councils consumed N80 trillion. A sum of N56 trillion out of the N80 trillion was for salaries and allowances of public office holders mainly politicians. A Nigerian senator earns ten times what an American senator earns and 26 times what a British parliamentarian earns monthly. A senator in America earns N2 million ($14,500) monthly, which translates into $174,000 per annum.

Similarly, Nigerian ministers are paid higher than ministers in the UK, US and South Africa. Currently, government seemingly ignores primacy of merit principle, abhors constructive ideas, jettisons knowledge and abandons experience. Nigeria wants suitable Nigerians who are healthy in integrity, creative, competent, disciplined, patriotic, productive, resourceful and strong in intellect in positions of authority in whom the future of the country will be entrusted.

Nigerians currently live in an age that is largely pummeled with contradictions. It is a free but seemingly democratic society which greatly does not reflect the popular will of the masses. Indeed, the tyranny of minority prevails clearly over the will of the majority. Truly, the inordinate conspiracy of a few robs the majority of the benefits of good governance. Our political environment is unfriendly, unhealthy and hostile for participation by many men and women of goodwill. Power is exercised mostly by men without conscience who have huge sums of money with which they buy, corrupt and penetrate people or even organise the premature exit from the world of any person who stands on their way to the treasury. Politics has been artfully bastardised by charlatans, certified goons, consummate looters, incorrigible liars and rogues, peculators, unrepentant rabble-rousers, ill-informed persons, reprobates and scallywags. In society, changes in concepts, goals, resources and capabilities bring about a certain level of radical but progressive awareness which cannot naturally be easily suppressed.

Changes are not always voluntary, sometimes external forces are the catalysts but the nature of anything will be modified by the event of the change and its resultant effect. The pre-occupation of many current politicians is the flagitious pursuit and the primitive accumulation of unearned wealth, fame and materialism. Many dissipate resources recklessly on issues that do not add probative values to the lives and well-being of citizens.

The National Assembly symbolises the sovereignty of Nigerian people. Allegations of inflation of budgets of departments, bribery, and irresponsible and corrupt disbursement of constituency allowances have made Nigerians to see national assembly legislators as rapacious financial conspirators against public good. Indeed, National Assembly amended Section 81 of the 1999 Constitution which led to jumbo pay for the legislators from November, 2010. Despite the inexplicably parlous state of the Nigerian economy, legislators, since 1999, have progressively transformed into opulent and incredibly affluent people. They have grown richer while the people they claim to represent have become more impoverished. Nigeria, Kenya and Zimbabwe are bad examples in political leadership. Politicians in these three countries earn the highest remunerations in the world.

Nigeria has actually earned huge sums of money as stupendous wealth in millions, billions and trillions of naira from the continuous sale of crude oil since 1999, yet, Nigeria’s development remains very slow, poor and unimpressive. Most Nigerians have remained in despondency and lamentation. A cursory appraisal of some federal government policies from June 1999 shows clearly that security is seriously politicised and greatly undermined, education is in disarray, basic health care delivery services are very costly, food is expensive and quite often unaffordable, power supply is notoriously epileptic, clean water supply is grossly inadequate, transportation is in grave disorder, road-network is deplorable, naira is weak and Nigeria is in comatose.

Sadly, the performances of power, health and road sectors have been most unsatisfactory to Nigerians despite the enormous financial investment made and potentials for development and growth. Large scale fatalities are frequently recorded from avoidable accidents on our poorly maintained highways with deplorable conditions clad with pot holes that have become lakes. For too long, we seemed to have operated in a terrain that was completely orphaned in ethics. Corruption in high places, inequalities and chronic human rights violations are today buried in the quagmire of war and insecurity. Most people in government have not demonstrated transparency and integrity of motives in the running of affairs in government. The people’s confidence which was invested in the leadership of those in power has been betrayed, squandered and profligated. A responsive administration is flexibly dynamic, proactive and responds quickly to changes and reasonable demands.

Insecurity of life and property has become the country’s major challenge. What are the negative effects of insecurity, and how, in your opinion, can this challenge be overcome?

Security in Nigeria is precariously unhealthy. Security is a basic requirement for human existence being the essence of countries and nations. Security is a prime duty of government. Indeed, insecurity undermines the authority of government. Security is a fundamental concept that guarantees the safety of mankind. Insecurity renders mankind useless. Candidly, security is a key responsibility of government. Government must protect citizens effectively as it’s constitutionally duty-bound. But when it fails, its legitimacy diminishes particularly in a democracy. Security is a costly commodity. Money spent on security is wisely spent because without law and order, peace and security, there can be no sustainable development.

Security has overriding consideration over all other necessities. Government must handle security matters seriously and fund security agencies adequately. A country is destroyed when security is undermined. Excellent security will lead to stability, development and growth.

Sporadically, illegally held guns are being increasingly used by outlaws to commit violent crimes of armed robbery, assassination and kidnapping nationwide. Kidnapping has become a national embarrassment. There is an intolerable upsurge in criminality, unemployment, inflation, insecurity, poverty, social tension and low industrial growth. Candidly, there must be the primacy of purpose for qualitative education, energy (power), security, health care delivery services, agriculture and infrastructural development. General insecurity could easily be linked to economic, political and religious reasons.

Nowadays, we live in dangerous times where counter norms, criminality, insecurity, indiscipline, social tension and vices are rapidly on the ascendancy. Security is also a principle of war because in times of peace we must be prepared for war and with necessary changes, in war times, we must be prepared for peace. Security is the aggregate of all measures taken by government to preserve, protect, promote and secure societal peace, safety, stability, prosperity and the well-being of all citizens. Security has no alternative, being the basis of human existence.
It is generally believed that activities of the Boko Haram sect gained much ground because adequate intelligence gathering has been lacking within the security forces. As a former Military Administrator and a well-trained detective, what is your view?

The advent of militancy in Niger Delta which resulted in kidnapping, assassination and sabotage of NNPC installations and the insurgency of Boko Haram in the North-East of Nigeria poses grave threats to national security. Some militants have emerged from criminality to community service. Boko Haramists have ignored to dialogue with government. Boko literarily means Education in Western language (book) and Haram means abomination, evil. But education and abomination are incompatible, and are at variance in philosophy and practice. Boko Haramists are cowards, senseless and ungodly in general activities. Government must deal decisively with deviant Boko Haramists.

The insurgents are enemies of Nigeria. They have continued to kill people even in places of worship. They are ignorant of Islam which regards life as sacred. The framework for nation-wide spread of mindless mass murders of innocent citizens, North and South, as well as across religious divide had been established at a time when there is a yawning leadership vacuum. Islam prohibits attack or indecent assault on women, girls and children. The serious lack of proficiency in intelligence gathering by security agents generally and particularly the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) has gravely compounded Nigeria’s security situation.

Intelligence is the key to the success of an administration, and because of poor intelligence gathering among the security agencies, the Boko Haram insurgents are increasing their subversive activities daily against government. Intelligence gathering is critical for societal stability, development and the survival of mankind. Intelligence gathering is worldwide and exchange of ideas from time to time is desirable. There must be sustainable nexus among security agents in terms of intelligence relationship. Training is fundamental for efficiency and impressive performance. Most officers today need serious continuous training and exposure. Officers must be regularly trained in other to grow into national pride in performance.

Intelligence is the pivot on which security operations are predicated. It forms the cradle on which healthy, stable and progressive society is built. It is a sine-qua-non for peace, development and growth. Intelligence gathering must indeed be the prime focus of security agents generally.

Information as basis for intelligence is knowledge, power and security. The tragic episode of Boko Haram is the greatest insurgency Nigeria has ever had to contend with in terms of general insecurity.

The problem of growing unemployment among the youths is seen as a major threat to peace and security in the country. In your opinion, how can this be effectively tackled?

Youths constitute a prodigious resource that is indispensable in the race to transform society and develop the World. Our youths must be mobilised for realistic productive dispensation. It must be done through the instrumentality of knowledge which remains a potent tool for emancipation, dignity and integrity. Youths, whether defined from the context of age or state of the mind, represent the harmony and coherence of society. Society is sweet when it has the right youths. Youths are therapeutic.

Today, ubiquitously, one is confronted with declined virtues, perverted values and vast space of human desert. The flagitious pursuit of unearned wealth, fame and materialism along with primitive accumulation has gravely corrupted the polity and compromised our youths. Society has gone dystopian. There is no society or nation that is better than those who dwell in it. Nobody queries or interrogates the integrity of any man’s wealth anymore. The end is foolishly said to justify the means. The flame of lust and degeneracy is fast eating up the soul of our country. About 40 million unemployed but employable and productive youths constitute great threats to security, society and development. Many youths are also not empowered because they are either unlettered, unskilled or near illiterate in calibre. Youths need education which is for public good but is rather poorly funded by government.