Foremost historian and professor of African Studies, Toyin Falola, has described rigging of elections by politicians as a democratic coup.
He disclosed that in Nigeria and several African countries, democratic coups have taken place and in some instances have produced sit-tight president.
Prof. Falola spoke at the Yaba College of Technology maiden lecture series of the Hassan Sunmonu Centre for Leadership and Governance, titled: “Democracy and the Dynamics of Development in Africa.”
“In Nigeria, many coups have been carried out by civilians through election rigging. In many cases in Africa, democracy is a civilian coup. Anytime politicians rig elections, it is simply a civilian coup.
“In Nigeria, politicians are reproducing themselves in power through illegal means. What produces these coups is the failure of democracy. If democracy is not doing well, people will resist politicians but when otherwise, the citizens will support the military leaders like what happened in three West African countries.”
Prof. Falola also kicked against the idea of one family or few individuals in Africa capturing political power and cited Ugandan and Gabon, stating that there are rumours that Seyi Tinubu wants to contest for Lagos governor.
According to him, under state capture, politicians appoint their men into the army, police, electoral body, judiciary and other agencies to consolidate power, which makes it difficult to dislodge them.
In his remarks, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, disclosed that the topic is at the heart of NLC’s daily struggle, adding that there can be no true democracy without economic democracy, and there can be no meaningful development that sidelines the working class.’
“Let us build a democracy that works for the majority and not for the few. That is the kind of democracy that will lead to development in our continent.’’
He said for NLC, democracy that tolerates the pillaging of the national wealth by a few while the masses wallow in poverty is a mere shadow, a bourgeois democracy that serves the interest of capital over the people.
“Therefore, the development we seek must be rooted in an economic democracy that guarantees the rights of workers, ensures the social welfare of all, and places our collective commonwealth firmly in the hands of the people.”
Ajaero acknowledged the contributions of Pa Sunmonu noting that his leadership did not stop at Nigeria’s borders. He said NLC would throw its weight behind the centre.
Prof. Piwuna said the union operates on certain principles, which is not different from that of Sunmonu while noting that democracy cannot work without those principles.
Piwuna assured that the union would work with the centre to ensure the principles which Hassan stood for are achieved.
Sunmonu who described himself as a core trade unionist said he cut his teeth as union leader in YABATECH as the first students union president.
He appealed to NLC, ASUU and other labour organisations to make the centre one of the best in the world, noting that it belongs to workers of the country.
The lecture attracted the President Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Audu Amba, Chairman, House Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Institutions, Fuad Laguda, Health Workers and YABATECH management led by the Rector, Dr. Ibraheem Abdul.
By Gabriel Dike @TheSUN
