Nigeria Should Aspire Beyond Roads and Salaries As ‘Dividends of Democracy’ – PAACA
The Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) has delivered a stinging critique of Nigeria’s political class for celebrating basic governance functions—such as road construction and salary payment—as grand achievements of democracy.
Marking Nigeria’s 26 years of uninterrupted civil rule, PAACA’s Executive Director, Ezenwa Nwagwu, described the prevailing narrative as a “profound misunderstanding” of what democratic governance truly entails.
In a statement made available to SaharaReporters, Nwagwu argued that reducing the essence of democracy to superficial accomplishments like road projects and regular payment of civil servants is not only shallow but fundamentally flawed.
> “We often hear people describe efficient service delivery or infrastructure development as key gains of democracy. While that may sound right on the surface, democracy goes far beyond that,” Nwagwu said. “If it was just about service delivery, the military actually held their own. They built roads, bridges, hospitals—some of the most enduring infrastructure Nigeria still relies on today.”
According to Nwagwu, democracy should never be equated with tokenism. Instead, it is a system of governance rooted in values—transparency, accountability, public participation, and institutional integrity.
> “Sadly, discussions around ‘dividends of democracy’ have now been reduced to how many kilometers of roads have been paved or how many months’ worth of salaries have been paid,” he lamented. “While these are necessary, they are basic expectations—not democratic milestones. Democracy was never meant to be reduced to flashy projects or ceremonial ribbon-cuttings.”
The PAACA boss warned that Nigeria risks normalising mediocrity if it continues to celebrate the bare minimum. He noted that the true test of democracy lies in how it empowers citizens, strengthens institutions, and ensures justice and equity for all.
He observed that despite more than two decades of civilian rule, Nigeria’s democratic architecture remains fragile and superficial. Institutions such as the judiciary and state legislatures, he noted, still struggle with autonomy, while political parties remain weak, ideology-deficient, and personality-driven.
> “Let’s not pretend things are normal. The political class continues to act in ways that betray the democratic spirit. Power is still personalised rather than institutionalised. Our legislature, both at the national and particularly state levels, often function as rubber stamps. The judiciary is yet to attain the level of independence expected in a democracy. State Assemblies and judicial bodies still lack financial autonomy, undermining their ability to act without executive interference.”
Nwagwu lamented that many public officials still operate with a military-era mindset—intolerant of dissent, allergic to scrutiny, and obsessed with maintaining personal cults of power.
> “Imagine a Nigeria where state Houses of Assembly perform their legislative duties without fear or favour. Imagine a judiciary that doesn’t wait for a nod from the executive before acting. Imagine a democracy where freedom of expression is protected, not punished,” he urged. “These are the real dividends of democracy—when citizens have a voice, when leaders are accountable, and when power is checked, not worshipped.”
As Nigeria reflects on 26 years of democracy, PAACA is calling on leaders and citizens alike to reject the tokenism of surface-level achievements and to pursue the deeper transformation that democracy promises—one anchored in values, systems, and the courage to hold power to account.
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