Democracy Day: Ebonyi SDP Chair laments neglect of Nigerians, anti-democratic tendencies

Amah Samuel-Ugbor Nnachi,
South-East Regional Editor

State Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ebonyi State, Dr. Kingsley Agbor, has expressed deep concern over the subversion of the will of Nigerians, the electoral process, and the rule of law.

This was as he observed the June 12 Democracy Day was a fallout of the 1993 Presidential election won then by the SDP candidate, Chief MKO Abiola, adding the annulment of the election threw up the very anti-democratic issues presently experienced in the country.

He stated this during an interview with Journalists, in Abakaliki, on Wednesday, saying presently the citizens were suffering because their will was subverted in 1993.

He said, “Let’s not forget: the spirit of June 12 came from SDP, the platform on which the late MKO Abiola won the 1993 election. That said, when you evaluate Nigeria’s democracy by its core definition—government of the people, by the people, and for the people—you’ll see we’ve fallen short. Government of the people…? It implies the people elect their leaders.

“But with the current electoral system, from INEC to the judiciary, the will of the people is often subverted. So no, we haven’t achieved that. And government for the people…? Let’s look around. How many homes have pipe-borne water? How many communities enjoy stable electricity, accessible healthcare, or quality public schools? Democracy is meant to benefit the people. But what we see is economic hardship—a crate of eggs now costs ₦7,000. Is that progress? I can say that we have just been surviving. But whether the core mandate of democracy has been delivered, the answer is No!”

According to him, Nigerians faced the worst economic realities because they were a system of government they didn’t own.

“Yes, we are purely living in deception. I took my time to explain it—government for the people, of the people, and by the people. When you put it line by line, you will see that we haven’t met any of the aspects of democracy.

“The way forward is what the SDP is trying to do or what the SDP has been doing. And what have we been doing? We are continuously advocating, mobilizing, and sensitizing the people to bring about the change.

“It is very regrettable that we never had the opportunity in 1993 because many people had in mind that, peradventure they allowed MKO Abiola to govern Nigeria in 1993, by today we will not be where we are. Where N2,000 cannot buy a loaf of bread. Where we cannot fly from Enugu to Lagos without spending not less than N125,000. These are very disheartening. A journey of not more than 45 minutes—you are spending more than N30,000 just from Enugu to Lagos.

“Where are you defecting to? Defecting a government that has made lives more terrible for its people. A government where it’s today is better than tomorrow. So, the way forward is that we keep on advocating, we keep on mobilizing, and we hope that come 2027, we are going to get it right because SDP is poised and is fully ready and prepared to take us to where we should have been taken in 1993.”