DEMOCRACY WITHOUT GOOD GOVERNANCE
Today exactly marks the 13th year of democratic epoch or successful civil rule and civil transition dispensations in Nigeria, and without any doubt Nigerians ordinarily will genuinely want and love to celebrate this fit due to what has been happening in recent time across different Africa Countries where issues of democratic governance and agitations for one have not only led to the lost of lives and multi trillion dollars properties, but have also becomes an encumber of disintegration, economic bankruptcy, and annihilations of minority tribes among other thing.

However, the reality on ground since the beginning of this democratic expedition shows that Nigeria has not only been bastardised economically and almost completely raped off from everything that made us unique as people and nation, but the symbol of only hope and consolation which would have been the very strong ampoule of democratic principle – “The Rule of Law”, is now gradually been destroy by our political elite. And for the purpose of this article’s and every Nigerians, it is important I state here categorically that for any democracy to work and to deliver good governance, the rule of law must be seen to form the bases and foundation of such democracy. This is because the three (3) key characteristics and fundamental of rule of law, namely; Supremacy, equality, and impartiality are unfortunately seems not to be in practice under our democracy. According to the Lord Chief Justice Coke in the case of Proclamations in (1610), ”The King himself ought not to be subject to man, but subject to God and the law, because the law makes him King”. Can we then say as a democratic nation, that under our current democracy regime that our leaders has by any means been subjecting themselves to the rule of law as proscribed by Nigeria constitutions?

Meanwhile, it is pertinent to state categorically here once again that the bane of corruption, insecurity, ineptitudes in the highest places, among many other social and fundamental vices that are commonly associated with Nigeria democracy and government, is as a result of not building our democracy on the platform of rule of law. And let me mention before I forget that any democracy that is operating outside the internment of the rule of law is not only going to fail, but it’s an orphan that will have no relatives among other democracy and the comity of nations.

Hence, let whoever that is leading under the current democratic era irrespective of positions and at what level note that Nigerians are not only hungry, but are now staving with massive range of apoplectic or anger that only good governance and purposeful leadership that is enshrine under the rule of law can address.

Happy democratic day to every Nigerians

Sir Bola Abimbola