Nigeria's democracy in ICU, needs urgent action for 2027 polls: Ex-Senate President

Nigeria's democracy is in critical condition, akin to being in an intensive care unit, and requires immediate intervention to ensure its survival and the integrity of future elections. This stark warning comes from former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, who is currently in the United States for high-level consultations with Nigerians in the diaspora.

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Our democracy is currently in the ICU (intensive care unit). Unless urgent and sincere efforts are made to strengthen our democratic institutions and guarantee credible elections, the future of our nation could be endangered.

Wabara, alongside former Action Congress vice-presidential candidate Senator Ben Obi, is rallying support for a coordinated effort to protect Nigeria's democratic institutions and guarantee that the 2027 general elections truly reflect the will of the people. The consultations aim to unite Nigerians across party lines in a common strategy to safeguard the nation's democratic future.

Discussions have centered on growing concerns over the state of Nigerian democracy, including a perceived shrinking of the democratic space and attempts to weaken opposition parties. Participants have also expressed alarm over declining public confidence in the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Wabara emphasized the need for patriotic forces to unite in defense of constitutional governance and to resist any attempts to undermine the country's multi-party system.

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The common objective of these consultations is to rescue Nigeria from state capture, free up the democratic space and ensure that the will of the people, not the will of a few powerful individuals, prevails in 2027.

The overarching objective of these consultations, Wabara stated, is to rescue Nigeria from "state capture," free up the democratic space, and ensure that the will of the populace prevails over the interests of a few powerful individuals in 2027. He expressed optimism that these engagements would foster a broad national consensus on restoring faith in the electoral process and extricating the country from alleged state capture, describing the consultations as "very fruitful."

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The consultations have been very fruitful.