BY ABBATI BAKO,psc,bsis,mti,UK
ELECTION IS ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENT OF DEMOCRACY:
Among the top key elements of democracy include, citizen, elections, Constitution, Judiciary, Legislation, Executive arm of government, internal democracy, political parties, fundamental human right, money, social media, print media, campaign, political party manifesto and constitution, elections’ authority, international relations, NGOs and other human rights activists. Others are, governance and governed, competitions, competitions, protection of values, interests and ambitions, TV stations for campaign activities, merger of political parties, debate as well as consensus (which is the weakest) etc.
Elections:
Election is one of the key elements of democracy. Election is the building block of democracy. The most difficult issue in Nigeria’s democracy is conducting free, fair, violence free, credible and internationally acceptable elections. Without free and fair election in a democracy; experts asserted that it cannot be called democracy, rather that it can only be called “DEMOCRAZY”.
Professor Paul Collier is an author of the book titled “Wars, Guns and Votes: Democracy in Dangerous Places” London,2009 says: “Elections are the institutional technology of democracy. They have the potential to make governments more accountable and more legitimate. Elections should sound the death knell to political violence”. He also observed that our times have seen a great political sea change; the spread of democracy to the bottom billion (Africa). But is it democracy? The bottom billion certainly got elected. They were heavily promoted by American and European pressure, and, as the most visible feature of democracy, they were treated as its defining characteristic. Yet a proper democracy does not merely have competitive elections; it also has rules for the conduct of those elections: cheating gets punished. A proper democracy also has checks and balances that limit the power of a government once elected. The great political sea change may superficially have looked like the spread of democracy, but it was actually the spread of elections. If there are no limits on the power of the winner, the election becomes a matter of life and death. If this life-and-death struggle is not itself subject to rules of conduct, the contestants are driven to extremes. The result is not democracy: I think of it as democrazy. He further says in a democracy a government has no choice but to try to deliver what ordinary citizens want.” Hence, can we call the current democratic practice in Nigeria democracy?
Paul Collier, a highly regarded and respected political economist and expert on developing countries, especially African political economy argues that, “the spread of elections and peace settlements in the world’s most volatile countries may lead eventually to a brave new democratic world. In the meantime, though nasty and protracted civil wars, military coups, and failing economies will plague the bottom billion-unless national sovereignty is curtailed and economic disciplines introduced.”
But one can argue that in political activities, election is the backbone of every democratic practice in both developed and less developed democracies. Because it’s the free and fair elections that legitimize and legalize the government.The nature of the relationship between the positive results of conducting free, fair, credible and acceptable elections and the institutionalization and consolidation of democracy in nations is universally acknowledged.
This emanates from the opinion that in a democracy “The role of the people is to produce a government” and elections are “the institutional arrangement for arriving at political decisions in which individuals acquire the power to decide by means of competitive struggle for the people’s vote.” Elections are thus perceived often as a procedure for regulating competition for political power through competition for votes. Hence, can we call internal democracy in Nigeria’s political system democracy or undermining opposition parties by the government of the day?
Within this conception, elections are the basics of building blocks for democracy. The inability to conduct, supervise and organize credible and acceptable elections in a polity often generates outcomes that stunt the growth of democracy, on the one hand, and the development and prosperity of the nation, on the other.
So, no doubt election is one of the key elements of democracy in both advanced and emerging democracies. In this respect President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should take measures to ensure free, fair and credible elections at all levels and this will sends a signal to the democratic world that Nigeria practices real democracy not “democrazy” as said by Professor Paul Collier, Larry Diamond or late Fela A. Kuti.
The current appointed Chairman of INEC and his team in Nigeria must work hard and learn from other nations; especially emerging democracies—like S/Africa, Senegal, Zambia and Ghana, also from other Asian countries and South American nations. And again, strict measures must be taken to stamp out corruption and violence in Nigeria’s electoral system. Nigeria’s democracy is still in the transition stage; the INEC Chairman and other political stakeholders must be interconnected to always ensure violence free and fair elections. “Democracies never fight one another”. Without free and fair election democracy can be seen as a mirage. Research conducted in 2010 indicated that 98% of blame goes to the politicians and security agents.
Democracy is a game of representation. Representation is one of the 57 ultimate elements of democracy:
This writing understands that the main job of Senators and House of Representatives Members in a democracy is to make laws. Laws must be formulated for the sake of making a stable and prosperous, peaceful, society or nation.
But the issue of the so-called “Constituency Projects” is political shenanigan-ism in democratic system. So, the constituency project’s issue by Nigeria’s law makers is a means of creating a corrupt attitude between the politicians and practitioners (civil servants). In advanced democracies there’s no issue of constituency projects.
Governance:
There is a core-relation between politics, democracy and leadership; all these connote to the governability of human society.
As politics is a system of competing values, interest and ambition, its process is about persuasion, influence, monopoly, strategy, planning and indoctrination of the party policies to political party members. All these are based on the principles of dialogue (negotiation, reconciliation, mediation and generally give and take or win-win benefit) and consensus is least in 57 key elements and principles of democracy.
Democracy has nothing to do with violence. Dr. Albena Azmanova of University of Kent, UK observed that “Democracy never fights one another” (2010) hence, democracy is a game of representation via regularly scheduled elections by the people of the society to be represented with a view to protect their values, interest and developmental ambition.
There are three arms of government in a democratic game. One of them is the House of Legislation/parliament/Representatives that are elected by the people; to enact/formulate/make laws. And everyone in the society has the right to represent or be represented so long as he fulfills the requirements of the law.
What is politics?
Let me quote the book (Elements of Politics 1999, University of Lagos) edited by Professors Remi Anifowose and Francis Enemuo (late) and others “The great Greek philosopher, Aristotle, began his famous work, politics, with the observation that “man is by nature a political animal”. By this means that the social existence is politics and that two or more men interacting with one another are invariably involved in a political relationship. Aristotle also means that very few people prefer an isolated life to one that includes social companionship. Men are engaged in politics as they try to define their position in society, as they struggle for scarce resources and as they try to convince others to accept their points of view. Aristotle then concluded that the only way to maximize one’s individual capabilities and to attain the highest form of social life was through political interaction with others in an institutionalized setting, a setting designed to resolve social conflicts and set collective goals- the state”.
Professor Remi further defined politics as “the process of making and execution of governmental decisions or policies”. That’s the authoritative allocation of values or who gets what, when and how, the quest for power, order and justice; the art of influencing, manipulating and controlling others; a process of resolution of conflict, in society and a struggle among actors pursuing conflicting desires on public issues. “Politics is the activity (negotiation, argument, discussion, application of force, persuasion, etc.) by which an issue is agitated or settled. Remi says that the Eastonian definition of politics as the “authoritative allocation of values for a society is considered useful by political scientists.
On the other hand, the most popular definition of politics according to F. Hahn (Political Communication, USA 1998), “Politics is a process concerning power (who has it, how they keep it and how they use it). Politics is the process of solving public problems and the process takes place through communication. Therefore, politics is about lawmaking, decision making and implementation of policies made by the government.
The executive arm of government plays a vital role in a democratic system, serving as the administrative branch responsible for enforcing laws and order as well as execution of government policies. The executive arm is headed by the President or Prime Minister, who is elected by the people through free, fair, credible, violence free and in accordance with global standards of elections. Hence, “democracy is a game of the people, by the people and for the people”.
*Key Roles of the Executive Arm of Government:
1. Enforcement of Laws and Order as Well as Policies of the Government:
The executive arm is responsible for enforcing laws and order as well as policies passed by the legislative arm of the government. This includes ensuring that government ministries, agencies and departments implement policies and programs of the government of the day effectively.
2. Leadership and Direction:
The President or Prime Minister provides leadership and direction to the government, setting the national agenda and prioritizing policies and programs to be executed by the government of the day.
3. Appointment of Officials:
The executive arm appoints officials to key positions, including ministers, judges, and ambassadors as well as other government institutions. These appointments are crucial in ensuring that the government is staffed with competent and qualified individuals who will run and execute the government policies. For example in Nigeria’s Presidential system of government is 4 year tenure or say 48 months, 208 weeks or simply say 1460 days for yet another round of elections to be conducted by citizens to elect their representatives in the corridor of power. Hence, democracy is a game of representation or defined by the experts as a “Constitutionality System”.
4. Conducting Foreign Policy:
The executive arm is responsible for conducting foreign policy, including economic interplay, negotiating treaties, agreements, and Diplomatic Relationship with other Countries of the World.
5. Commander-in-Chief:
The President or Prime Minister serves as the Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, overseeing National Security and Defense Architecture of the country. Security is very important for peace, stability and economic growth and development.
6. Ceremonial Duties:
The Executive Arm performs ceremonial duties, including hosting state visits, awarding honors and decorations, and attending national events.
7. Checks and Balances:
To prevent the concentration of power, democratic systems establish checks and balances on the executive arm. These includes the following points:
1. Legislative Oversight:
The Legislative Arm can investigate and impeach the President or Prime Minister for misconduct or abuse of power.
2. Judicial Review:
The judicial arm can review executive decisions and declare them unconstitutional or unlawful.
3. Public Accountability:
The executive arm is accountable to the public through elections, media scrutiny, and citizen participation.
In conclusion, the executive arm of government plays a crucial role in a democratic system, responsible for enforcing laws and policies, providing leadership and direction, and conducting foreign policy. However, to prevent abuse of power, democratic systems establish checks and balances, ensuring that the executive arm remains accountable to the people and the other branches of government. Are we doing it right in Nigeria, Africa and other Global Southern Hemisphere?
To Continue Insha’Allah
Dr. Abbati Bako,Political Strategy and Communications Consultant, Former Electoral Commissioner @Kansiec, Former Special Adviser to the Governor of Kano State on Public Affairs. Global Political Economy Analyst, PhD,. Researcher in Globalization Policy @Skyline University Kano. Students’ Mentor @Kent,Univetsity, UK and formally Treasurer Kano Chamber of Commerce. abbatibako@mail.com
