Elections in West African not perfect, says Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday conceded that elections in West African countries, including Nigeria, are flawed and not always perfect.

Shettima, however, emphasised that leaders must strive to ensure they do the right thing by ensuring the yearnings and aspirations of the people are always met.

The VP made the appeal at the launch of the West Africa Democracy Fund held in Abuja.

The former Borno governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on General Duties, Aliyu Modibbo, warned African leaders against allowing undesirable elements like corruption and nepotism to overshadow governance, saying they erode the confidence people have in democracy.

To further buttress his point on the complexity of enforcing democracy in the region, Shettima lamented that even Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu was made to undergo his first Baptism of Fire in the wake of his election as ECOWAS chairman when the military took over governance in the Niger Republic.

He said, “In West Africa, we are encouraged by elections that have been held successfully in countries such as Liberia, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Nigeria, and South Africa. But we are not oblivious to the fact that these elections are not perfect as all elections are. But we are hopefully doing our best to make sure they reflect the true yearnings of our people.

“We are reminded again about the backsliding of countries in our sub-region and the efforts the ECOWAS Commission has made. One of such was the military take-over in Niger. Our President Bola Tinubu experienced what you may call ‘Baptism of Fire’ because he was just elected as the chairman of the Body of ECOWAS. So he had to live with that problem.

“There are basic standards of electoral transparency that every election must meet. However, the continued practice of democracy will perfect that. Many times, certain vices such as corruption, nepotism, inefficiency, and socio-economic difficulties erode the confidence of the people in democracy. So the onus is on us to make sure we do the right thing.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, also shared his sentiments.

Tuggar, who was represented by his ministry’s protocol chief, Safiu Olaniyan, raised some concerns over the ignorance of African voters, especially in the area of holding their leaders accountable.

He said, “Democracy requires lots of education. Most leaders in democracy cash in on the ignorance of the electorate because most of the people don’t know why they are going for an election. They don’t even know what they need to do if they are led astray or how to fight for their rights.

“So they think democracy is about election. That is a narrative that needs to change if we have to grow for the benefit of the West African region. Again, we need to build institutions. Most of the time, the democratic institutions in West Africa are weak and so cannot stand up against strong leaders. In most cases, they are not standing up for the people. As a result, democracy falters.

“Most leaders sometimes feel democracy is also about doing the people a favour in terms of building roads or providing potable water. That is the responsibility of the government in the first place. So it is not a favour. But because the people are not aware, they may start thinking the government did something. These are institutions that need to be built.”

Earlier in his welcome address, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation, Akin Kekere-Ekun, appealed to African leaders not to give up on the fight to retain democracy in the continent.

The former managing director of Habib Nigeria Bank recalled how the Yar’Adua Foundation, in partnership with the Obasanjo Presidential Library and Ford Foundation earlier in May, convened a summit to address the state of Democracy in Africa.

Kekere-Ekun explained that the gathering equally brought together leaders, policymakers, civil society organisations, academics, and youth from across the continent.

He said, “One of the most pressing issues discussed during the summit was the troubling resurgence of military coups and democratic backsliding across the West African region. Countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger have experienced disruptions to democratic governance, raising concerns about the fragility of democratic institutions and the erosion of public trust.

“Despite a general preference for democracy among citizens, many have grown disillusioned with its practice, leading to passive acceptance and, in some cases, support for military interventions. Afrobarometer surveys confirmed this growing disillusionment, revealing that while 80 per cent of African citizens reject one-man rule and a significant majority oppose military interventions, they remain dissatisfied with the actual delivery of democratic governance.”