By S.O.K. Shillings
Residents during an election.
Some of the basic principles and pillars of democracy are:
- 3 Arms of Government
All democratic governments are agreed on 3 arms of government, to wit: legislature, executive and judiciary. The configuration differ in climes, but they are ever present. Are they enough, especially in third world countries where the practice of democracy is bedevilled by abberations?
In the United Kingdom, there is a parliament fused with the executive arm headed by the Prime Minister. What is the King/Queen of England? A sovereign that the 3 arms serve? Ladies and gentlemen, a fourth arm of government.
The idea of an Ombudsman is Africa’s contribution to political science (from Ghana). It is worthy of consideration in our search for stability. Our democracy got to a point that there are developments that are antithetical to the practice of democracy. N100 million to obtain nomination form, a non-candidate winning election, fourth placed candidate sworn as Governor, ruling political party not able to produce candidates for statewide election … we may one day elect a President in the wrong legal framework and there will be chaos. There is need for a fourth arm.
The concept of checks-and-balances is skewed against the judiciary. Financial autonomy, independence and interdependence and allocation of administrative resources among the arms of government require the intervention of another arm of government. In our system, the Constitutional allocation of resources is one of the original sins.
- Agreement and Equality
The gregarious relationship of mankind is often a product of conquest or agreement. In Africa, it is mostly a product of force by the colonialists who combine polities according to conquest and convenience, like Nigeria was amalgamated. It is difficult for democracy to thrive in such environment of junk relationship. It is like starting a race from the middle. There is need to go back to found an agreement based on equity and justice.
A grundnorm, otherwise called the Constitution, is the (written) agreement. It necessarily flows from the agreeing parties unlike the 1989 and 1999 Constitution of Nigeria that were bestowed by biased military governments that have mortgaged the equality ingredient. The constitution cannot flow from government less still from a parliament.
The number of local governments and states are creations of the omnipotent military governments with a lot of injustice. It needs revisiting going forwards.
Over the years, some element of equality has evolved in the 6 geo-political zones. It should form the foundation of government and representation.
- The Sufferage – Election vs. Selection
The political evolution in the western world has thrown up the challenge of the mode of choosing representatives and officers of government. The evolution of capitalism brought with it democracy and universal adult sufferage enabling women and all adults to participate.
It has however been found out that universal sufferage does not elect strong leaders and tilts the balance to those who have the numbers thus, tendentiously dominating the rest. All advanced nations have found ways of avoiding universal sufferage in the choice of their prime leaders.
In the parliamentary system, the Prime Minister is chosen by the party that controls the parliament. In the US presidential system, the ultimate choice comes from the Electoral College of 538 members. Those who choose for China are about a thousand.
In a crowd campaign, so many things are hidden. The manifestos are bogus and unexplained. Heckling has no place. It is much of funfair and rabble-rousing which are not the traits of conscientious leaders. We must restrict the franchise for the ultimate leader.
- Interest by Representation and Distribution
Government is the ultimate product of human search for peace. Aside the basic need for security, food and water, and shelter, human needs have extended to the need for peace with his kind, the provision of modern amenities, education for growth, better understanding, and exploration of nature and environment; and, proper (re)distribution of resources. Modern society demands convenience and parity in income, gender parity, gerontocratic parity and nurturing, occupational security and growth in addition to ethnic and religious freedom and balancing.
The aforementioned interests are not captured in the geo-political representation in our legislature. The various human interests must therefor be aggregated and represented in Government.
- Sovereignty and Accountability
Democracy handed sovereignty to the people. Government is accountable to the people. One important feature is budgetting. One anomaly, especially in our clime, is the absence of financial accountability. If budget is read, then, there must be an account of income and virements at the end of the budget year
We have a situation of weak constitutionalism and impunity. Governor and Presidents defy the constitution and court orders without reprisals.
The sovereignty is exerciseable institutionally such that account will be rendered back to the people and not just in speeches.
We must distinguish the people represented in parliament and the direct sovereign. The making and amendment of constitution is the preserve of the direct sovereign while parliament makes policies, laws and ‘alter’ the parts of the Constitution that are not relationship-defining.
Accountability is only possible with an enlightened sovereign in an atmosphere where government could be heckled. Government in this case, includes the parliament.
Ideas rule the world. We cannot copy all things from the West as if we are not blessed. We have a different story that must determine the storey of our institutions.
Let’s go!
S. O. K. Shillings Esq.
