The Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) says the success of Nigeria’s democracy must be measured by tangible economic result and the functionality of public institutions rather than the mere conduct of periodic elections.
The foundation’s Executive Director, Ms Ann Iyonu, stated this on Thursday in Abuja during a national convening and formal launch of a report entitled: “Strengthening the Nexus between Democracy and Economic Growth in Nigeria.”
Iyonu, in her keynote address, noted that 27 years after Nigeria’s return to civilian rule, the “promise of democracy” had remained largely unfulfilled due to widespread poverty, fiscal indiscipline and rampant procurement fraud.
“Democracy must not be measured by elections alone but by results, by schools that function, by clinics and hospitals that work, infrastructure that lasts and, of course, institutions that deliver.
“So while our democracy is durable with all its imperfections and flaws, the task before us today is to make it effective.
“For if we can compel governance to deliver, then democracy will not only survive, it will thrive and our economy will thrive with it. That is the true dividend we must secure,” Iyonu said.
According to her, Nigeria is not suffering from lack of laws or regulatory agencies, but failure of enforcement.
She called for a shift toward effective democracy, where institutions are compelled to uphold their own rules and make governance felt in the daily lives of Nigerians.
“What we have as Nigerians is not an absence or lack of laws or agencies, our challenge is enforcement, and that is why we speak today of democracy dividend.
“Democracy is good for our economy when institutions uphold their own rules, when fiscal discipline is real, when procurement is transparent, when audits lead to action and when reforms survive political turnover.
“These are not lofty or abstract ideas; they are the very foundations of growth, jobs and opportunity.
“So my call to action today is that we enforce the rules we already have and ensure that Nigeria’s democracy delivers not only continuity but prosperity and opportunity for all,” she said.
Iyonu said that the foundation’s report introduced a 10-point policy imperative designed as a practical roadmap for government.
Some of the key recommendations of the report, according to her, include enforcing fiscal ceilings to ensure economic stability and digitising procurement processes to leverage technology against corruption.
The executive director said that the report also called for strengthening audit mechanisms and ensuring they lead to concrete actions, as well as institutional reforms directly to service delivery.
In his remarks, Governance Advisor for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Dr Matthew Ayebakuro, spoke about the nexus between democracy and economic growth.
Ayebakuro said that citizens’ confidence in democracy was closely linked to whether democratic institutions were seen as delivering jobs and services as well as a sense of shared progress.
He described the relationship as the instrumental value of governance, stressing that transparency, rule of law and responsive governance are the bedrock of sustainable economic growth.
“Democratic institutions are seen to deliver for them, whether that is in terms of jobs, services, opportunities or just a sense of shared progress.
“Democracy matters not only as a system of political participation and accountability but also because of the institutional foundation that it provides, such as transparency, rule of law, checks and balances and responsive governance, which are all critical for sustainability.
“At the same time, democracy must be developmental in practice, not just procedural in form, if it is to endure and retain public trust.
“This is what academics would refer to as not just the intrinsic value but the instrumental value of democratic governance,” he said.
Ayebakuro commended former President Goodluck Jonathan and the foundation for their efforts in the last decade in advancing dialogue on democratic governance, peace, leadership and inclusive development in Nigeria but indeed, on the African continent.
He expressed the hope that the conversation would provide an important platform for policy makers, legislators, civil society and development partners to reflect on the steps needed to strengthen and operationalise Nigeria’s democracy for the benefit of all.
Ayebakuro pledged the continued support of development partners in strengthening institutions and ensuring that growth “works for all Nigerian citizens.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that occasion, which brought together policy makers, legislators and civil society organisations, served as a call to action for stakeholders to transition from research and dialogue to practical enforcement of existing rules to ensure prosperity for all.
