One of the core principles of democracy is the availability of roles by opposition parties in providing adequate checks and balances , in respect to the government in power to serve as a reminder that their powers can be checked in line with the constitution of the country. Opposition parties over time have become the watch dog of the society in situations where they are active, and they represent the voice of the masses , when they are not in power.
Be careful to note ” when they are not in power” , as I have began to note the fact that in the Nigerian political scenery, opposition parties seem to always have their facts accurate and seem to speak the voice of the voiceless, until they are in power, and we start to hear all forms of propaganda as to why the system they have proposed as ideal is not working as well. It baffles me sometimes and I begin to wonder what the root cause of our democratic woes really lie. My mind takes me to the pre-colonial era and the amalgamation of Nigeria, a step which some ethnicities fault as the crux of our current issues , or is it due to the effects of military rule over time, and how we had to switch from doctrines to constitutions in the past.
While so many suggestions have been coming in on ways to tackle the alarming state of security currently, which is a strong deterrent to development , The Kaduna State Governor has reminded everyone of his earlier suggestions of bowing the whole forests in places where Terrorists are encamped. This statement was made as one of the measures the check the rise of terrorist attacks across Nigeria. It is clear that he had made such suggestions in the time past , and it was totally ignored. He said in the past that the forests should be blown up with explosives and then rebuilt again , with proper planning.
