By Abubakar Yusuf.
The lead presenter and research fellow on the book “Needs Assessment of Political Parties in Nigeria ” , who also doubles as the Chief of Staff to the Nigeria’s House of Representatives Speaker, Professor Jake Dan’Azumi has passed a vote of confidence on the democratic practices two decades after it’s return to civilian rule in 1999 in Nigeria.
The renowned academic, technocrat and administrator dropped this view in a 20 minutes review of the research work he embarked and presented to the public on Tuesday in conjunction with The Kukah Centre and European Union- Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN), held in Abuja.
According to the chief administrator to the leadership of the green chamber, it may appear slow, but steadily democracy and democratic norms had find it’s root in the context of Nigeria, which was evidence in the political, economic and social development of the country.
Professor Jake asserted that it took developed countries the same format to achieve full blown democratic norms, that is thriving for over 20 decades and more.
He recalled his experience when a former governor in the North Eastern state was defeated in a Senatorial contest in a state where he ruled as Governor by a trader, as this was an indicator that democracy is already on a high pedestal to achieving similar feat, like the developed nations.
He admonished the political actors and class to do more, so as to deepen not only the political order, but acculturation into our daily activities.
Jake who commended the Kukah Centre and European Union – Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria on its giant strides towards providing more opportunities to Nigerians, through mass political participation irrespective of parties, creed , religion or extraction.
The academic giant stated that the public presentation was a major milestone towards assisting not only the political class, but democratic institutions in the country.
