Chief Franklin Ekechukwu, the Founder Atiku Diaspora Support Group, says the increasing number of military coups within the African continent is a total setback in the economic growth and development of the continent.
Ekechukwu who spoke in an interview with 108scoop.com, against the backdrop of dethronement of democratically elected leaders in the continent, said the development indicates that the future remains indescribable, thereby signifying that Africa is not ready for economic growth and development.
‘’It is unfortunate that Military intervention has become a measure for correction of political malfeasance in Africa. it is a regression of democracy in the African continent, and it should be condemned.
‘’Then again when we look at the root cause of the Military intervention, one will be swayed to understand why citizens jubilate over their actions.
‘’When one man and his family remain in power for 50 years or more, some 38 or 40 years, while others want to be there for life and single-handedly impoverish the masses, then it becomes a problem that needs correction, but since the masses cannot correct it themselves due to the influence of these leaders on judiciary and security apparatus, the result is military intervention.
‘’The political elites disregard the loss of human life in their cause of campaigning and subsequently during election day. When they totally abandon the fundamental democracy of one man of one vote but bribe the supposedly unbiased umpire to usurp the rightful winner results, when they disregard the constitution of the country by grabbing it, taking it, and running with it, in total disregard with rule of law upturning the will of the people.
‘’When they govern with impunity, arrogance and willfully mismanaging the resources of the country, even at some point turn the country to a personal or family business and making the country to become poverty capital of the world, then the military intervention will find a loophole to justify their intervention,’’ Ekechukwu said.
According to him, in a true democracy, the people are supposed to rise up and carry out both civil disobedient and non-disobedient protests, while the military stay in their barracks and remain indifferent, with all security agencies, encouraging the masses protest, as far as it is within the ambit of the law.
‘’In Africa, it is a different case, those in power govern with impunity, bribe security agencies to subdue citizens, and in some cases, the security agencies help the politicians to commit atrocities against the State.
‘’The Judiciary looks the other way, and upholds injustice in the name of not creating coarse, while coarse is already staring at them, all due to being compromised.’’
Chief Ekechukwu, however, stressed that military intervention is not a near solution for good government in Africa, saying, ‘’It is far from being the solution.
‘’The democratic government, if operated properly, is the only solution to governance, and it ushers’ development faster than any other method of government.
‘’African countries are not practising democracy; they are practising pseudo-democracy. The only thing democratic about the African continent democracy is the announcement of the date of an election.
‘’The process is who can rig him/herself into power and have the most influence on the Justices to sway the judgement in their favour. The votes of the masses do not count, and their choices are disregarded.
‘’What I am saying is that African democracy is a system where an individual is appointed and chosen by the previous leader to replace him using the mirage of a democratic election.’’
He pointed out the recent case in Nigeria where the appointed person of the governing party was declared the winner when it was evident to the whole world that he did not win the election, yet corrupt individuals are still adamant about keeping him there, supporting mayhem, evil actions and undermining the masses.
‘’How can democracy flourish in such an environment? Another recent case is in Sierra Leone which immediately followed the Nigerian election, where the imitated and mirrored Nigerian election modus operandi.’’
To solve the trend of military dethronement of democratically elected leaders, the Founder of Atiku Diaspora Group, suggested eight points that African countries should abide by for political stability within the continent:
He suggested true independence of all three arms of the government, where the executive arm cannot have influenced the other two arms, most especially the Judiciary, with the legislative arm truly legislating. Making laws and having a real oversight power of the executive arm.
He said that politicians should be able to sell their ideas to the masses and allow their ideas to sell themselves to the people, while they need to play the game of politics with a clean hand.
African politicians should disabuse themselves of selfish interests, this must govern their mentality.
They need to allow true democracy of one man one vote to be precedence.
According to him, the supposed election umpire must remain neutral and shun all forms of political party influence.
Ekechukwu also suggested that the system should be made to provide consequences to those who try to influence elections wrongly by breaking the law, for example bribing election personnel.
He said that the Judiciary must have zero tolerance for those politicians who break the law, adding that politicians should deliver the dividend of democracy to the people, by placing the concerns of the masses first, attracting and executing economic development.
