By Peace Udugba
Former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly and ex-member of the House of Representatives, Mojeed Alabi, has said Nigeria’s democratic system cannot be blamed for the country’s developmental challenges, insisting that leadership and institutional weaknesses remain the major obstacles to national progress.
Speaking on Friday during an exclusive interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Alabi declared that democracy, by its nature, is not a driver of underdevelopment.
“Democracy can never be, has never been, and will never be a factor for underdevelopment,” he said.
He argued that democracy is designed to promote participation, accountability, and citizen engagement, rather than hinder development or worsen hardship. According to him, Nigeria’s democratic journey since 1999 should be assessed as a work in progress.
“Democracy is not a one-off thing; it is a process. It is something that has to be nurtured, built over years and consolidated before we can reach the stage of advanced democracies. In fact, the new language I prefer is to say we are in an emerging democracy,” he said.
Alabi added that democratic continuity should not be mistaken for full consolidation if citizens still grapple with poverty, insecurity, and weak institutions. He noted that recent acknowledgements by political leaders about the limited impact of democracy on citizens’ welfare reflect ongoing governance gaps.
“Of course, there are challenges. And that is why I like that aspect of the President’s speech this morning, that he recognises that this democracy has not brought the kind of dividends Nigerians were desiring. For me, that is an admittance that government cannot rest on its oars, an admittance that we are not yet in our Jerusalem, and that we are still on the journey towards the consolidation of our democracy,” he said.
While expressing concern over rising insecurity, including banditry, armed robbery, and Boko Haram-related violence, Alabi said these challenges are closely tied to economic hardship and limited opportunities.
“In the midst of poverty, people are bound to resort to a number of things that will further compound our problem.
All these challenges of insecurity, banditry, Boko Haram, armed robbery and others are a function of the fact that our democracy has not been able to economically empower the average Nigerian to feel comfortable without resorting to unorthodox means of survival,” he said.
He further argued that while reforms and tough economic policies may be necessary, they must be implemented alongside deliberate measures to cushion their impact on citizens.
Alabi also emphasised fairness in governance and policy implementation, insisting that sacrifices required for national recovery must be shared across all levels of society.
“We cannot afford a situation where people in government live a larger life while appealing to ordinary Nigerians to tighten their belts for a better future.
If the future is going to be better for all of us, and we need to make sacrifices now, then the belt-tightening process must involve everyone — whether you are in government or not, whether you belong to a political party or not, whether you are in the ruling party or the opposition,” he added.
