In a powerful address that has sparked national conversation, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has declared that credible elections alone cannot guarantee good governance or national cohesion in Nigeria.
The Call for Deeper Democratic Reforms
Bishop Kukah delivered his compelling message during the public presentation of three new books by renowned journalist and former presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati. The event took place at the prestigious Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Victoria Island, Lagos on Friday.
The bishop emphasized that Nigeria must move beyond the routine of periodic elections and focus on strengthening the laws and institutions that safeguard democracy and check political excesses. He pointed to the current political landscape, which he said has been overtaken by indiscriminate defections across political parties, as a clear symptom of weak legislation and institutional decay.
Learning from Ghana's Democratic Model
Kukah provided a striking comparison with Ghana's political system to illustrate his point. He explained that in Ghana, any lawmaker who defects from their political party automatically loses their seat in parliament.
This triggers a fresh election within 42 days, and the defecting lawmaker is not permitted to contest in that election. This legal framework, according to Kukah, has helped Ghana protect the integrity of its political system despite facing economic and social pressures similar to Nigeria's.
The bishop stressed that democracy cannot thrive merely on the goodwill of individuals but requires laws that restrain even well-meaning leaders from abusing power. He argued that the search for good men to govern would continue to fail unless Nigeria builds good laws that create a fair and accountable system for all.
Celebrating Abati's Intellectual Legacy
The book presentation also served as a platform to honor Dr. Reuben Abati's significant contributions to journalism, public service, and literature. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo commended Abati for showing progress across multiple fronts and urged him to continue pursuing excellence with integrity and humility.
Executive Commissioner of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Louis Odion, delivered the official review of the three books: Portraits: People, Politics, and Society, How Goodluck Jonathan Became President, and A Love Letter, And Other Stories.
Odion described the collection as a rich anthology that chronicles Nigeria's political and social evolution over the past three decades. He highlighted that How Goodluck Jonathan Became President captures the political drama surrounding the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's illness, the constitutional crisis that followed, and Jonathan's eventual rise to power.
The event attracted prominent Nigerians including former President Goodluck Jonathan, the Alake of Egbaland Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba, and The Guardian Newspapers publisher Lady Maiden Alex-Ibru, all of whom gathered to celebrate Abati's intellectual legacy.
Kukah concluded with a powerful message urging Nigerian leaders to learn from successful democratic models and initiate reforms that would address the loopholes in the country's democratic process. He maintained that only through deliberate legal and institutional restructuring can Nigeria entrench genuine democratic values and move forward as a nation.
