CHALLENGE OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE Zamfara State today: Today in Zamfara State virtually every sector of our lives is being manipulated by some individuals, it amount to break down of society increase in crime, robbery, breakdown of law and order, fraud in virtually everywhere. According to statistical date recently released, Zamfara State is one of the most poorest and underdeveloped State in the Country. This is very disheartening and a challenge to our leaders. In fact, this needs collective intervention of all citizens of Zamfara with a view to producing a credible leadership that will address such problem. In Zamfara State today, lack of good leadership and wide spread corruption are main causes of insecurity, political thuggery, indiscipline among youth, poverty and unemployment. So, we are looking for candidate who will uplift the glory of Zamfara people by actualizing their hopes and aspiration and coming up with new programs and project for the development of Zamfara State. There is no justification for zamfara to be where it is. The day zamfra would get out of this situation is the day we would be able to focus on the reality and the reality is simple; among the multiplicity of the challenges are; ELECTORAL MALPRACTICE: one of the cardinal tenets of participatory democracy is orderly change of government through credible, free and periodic elections. Since the inception of the fourth Republic in Nigeria, change of government has been orderly while elections have been periodic. Between 1999 and 2011 three different civilian regimes have emerged and there have been three successive transitions from one civilian regime to nanother. Elections in the fourth Republic have been characterized by monumental irregularities and malpractice which magnitude increases with every election. Institutions of the state and even the electoral body collude to manipulate the electoral process in favor of certain candidates. POVERTY IS ANOTHER FACTOR THAT CONSTITUTES GRAVE CHALLENGE TO DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE: Poverty, like an elephant is more easily recognized than defined. Giving poverty a universal operational definition has, indeed been a very difficult task for analysts. Traditionally, it refers to a situation in which an individual does not have the minimum income required to maintain a generally acceptable level of consumption. This is otherwise called absolute poverty. But over time, the need to consider as well, socio-psychological factors became necessary. While democracy in essence, is a process where citizens are empowered to exercise supreme authority in a polity, this implies that there is popular participation in all facets of national life, so that policies are not just made, but necessarily to satisfy the citizens, uplift their dignity, guarantee their fundamental human rights, and ensure a united, independent and progressive society. ETHNIC CLEAVAGES AND SECURITY: inter and intra ethnic rivalries, eligiuos crisis and insecurity also constitute potent challenges to democratic governance in Nigeria. WEAK DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTION: The weakness of the democratic institutions in Nigeria is another challenge to democratic governance. By democratic institutions, we refer to the Executive, judiciary, the legislature and electoral agencies such as as the INEC. INSTITUTIONALIZED CORRUPTION: The political and institutionalized corruption constitutes one of the greatest challenges and threats to democratic governance in Nigeria since the first Republic has long been established as evident. Finally, I charged zamfra youth to re-orient themselves on their code of conduct which forms the basis for various associations, union and other pressure groups. I equally called on youth to stand on the side of truth no matter how bitter it is and support peaceful and responsible politicians in the interest of humanity. I believe youth the world over are known to be agents of change, so our youth should take cue from their counterparts in the developed countries by pursuing and championing issues that would attempt to bring positive change for the betterment of all our people in the state
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 09:27:35 +0000
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