Advocate lecture: Dafinone, Apoki highlight structural gaps in Nigeria’s democracy

“I am always glad when conversations like this move beyond identifying problems to offering real solutions,” Dafinone said. “It is easy to talk about what is wrong, but far more important to focus on how we can fix it.”

Addressing concerns about a possible one-party dominance, the senator noted that defections to ruling parties were not new.

“As we approach the 2027 elections, many Nigerians are expressing concerns about a possible one-party state. However, this is a common mid-term political trend we have seen since 1999,” he explained.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s electoral history, Dafinone observed that while the process has improved, challenges remain. “In 2023, Nigerians were more aware and votes were more credible. However, we still face the problem of vote-buying, which reflects a deeper issue—many Nigerians feel their votes do not count,” he said.

He also justified recent economic reforms, including fuel subsidy removal, noting that they were necessary despite current hardships. “Previous leaders avoided these decisions to remain popular, but the current administration chose the hard path. I want to assure Nigerians that the benefits will come,” he added.

In his keynote address, Dr. Charles Apoki delivered a blunt assessment of Nigeria’s democratic system, arguing that citizens have lost ownership of governance. “That is not democracy. Democracy is government of the people, by the people, and for the people. But in Nigeria today, the people do not own the government,” he said.

Apoki attributed this disconnect to widespread political ignorance and vote commodification. “Nigerians sell their rights for small amounts of money, and politicians turn personal interests into public concerns,” he noted, adding that many aspiring leaders lack concrete development plans.

He further criticised the high cost of politics, describing it as a barrier to credible leadership. “Politics in Nigeria is too expensive. Those who win often focus on recovering their expenses rather than serving the people, leading to a system dominated by godfathers,” he said.

Chief Executive Officer of Advocate Publication Ltd, Shedrack Onitsha, explained that the theme was chosen to address the disconnect between electoral success and governance outcomes. “Over the years, we have discovered that election does not translate to good governance. Governments come with promises, but at the end, there is little to show,” he said.

The event, held at Wetland Hotel, Ughelli, Delta State, featured panel discussions and goodwill messages from dignitaries, including Elder Sheriff Oborevwori, Governor of Delta State, who was represented alongside other stakeholders, as participants called for reforms to strengthen institutions and ensure that democracy delivers real dividends to Nigerians.