Democratic governance in Nigeria does not promise to make us perfect, but at least, the process of striving will make us a better people.

Nigeria’s ocratic process can be described as nascent when compared to other countries’ based ondem our achievements on the key features of democracy. Nigeria, having gone through 18 years of uninterrupted democratic rule, seem to have made progress with periodic elections although lacks “free and fair” status. Also, progress has been made in the rule of law, human rights and partially on our Judiciary, and thus, we seem to be on our way to consolidating democratic ethos in our polity.

AFRICA IN FOCUS Nigeria’s 2019 presidential elections: A chance to think globally and act locally Aloysius Uche Ordu Wednesday, February 6, 2019

With over a dozen national elections in Africa in 2019, the Nigerian presidential election on February 16 is one of the most consequential. The expectation, since the country’s independence in 1960, has been that the giant of Africa would emerge as a dominant world player and join its global peers. Many had hoped that by the 21st century, reform-minded leaders would have built and sustained the institutions of governance, diversified the economy, created jobs for the burgeoning and youthful population, and reduced abject poverty. That expectation was spectacularly dashed. But elections offer hope and a moment for reflection, and Nigerians should think about the past as a way of charting their future when they head to the polls.