“The Election is Rigged Before It Begins” – Dakuku Peterside Warns on Democracy Decline in Nigeria

Former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has raised the alarm over what he describes as the steady decline of democracy in Nigeria, declaring that the nation is now operating under an electoral autocracy.

Speaking on a special Democracy Day programme aired on Symfoni TV, Peterside emphasized that democracy is about more than holding elections; it is fundamentally anchored on three pillars: sovereignty, freedom, and development. But according to him, all three are currently broken in the Nigerian context.

“The first thing is sovereignty. Does power truly reside with the Nigerian people or with the executive branch of government? That’s the big question,” he asked, stressing that genuine democratic power must come from the people—not from political elites or state institutions acting above accountability.

On the issue of freedom, Peterside said it must go beyond physical mobility. “Freedom is not just about moving from one location to another. It’s about freedom from want, freedom from fear,” he said, noting that hunger, insecurity, and lack of access to quality education and healthcare have stripped many Nigerians of basic human dignity.

He further lamented that while Nigeria claims to practice democracy, the outcomes suggest otherwise. “Our lived experience speaks of hunger. We’re not making progress,” he stated, citing rising inflation, Nigeria’s growing debt burden, and data from the National Bureau of Statistics that shows 133 million Nigerians live in multidimensional poverty.

Peterside didn’t stop there. He referenced several global democracy assessments that paint a bleak picture of Nigeria’s democratic health. Freedom House, in its 2024 report, classified Nigeria as a fragile state, while Sweden-based V-Dem Institute labeled Nigeria an electoral autocracy, accusing the country of embedding autocracy within the framework of elections. The Economist Intelligence Unit also rated Nigeria in the bottom quartile globally for democratic performance.

“If you won’t believe the data, will you at least believe the lived experiences of Nigerians?” he asked.

Pointing to the 2023 general elections, Peterside described them as the most judicially contested elections since 1999 and lamented that only 8 million Nigerians voted to elect a president in a country of over 200 million people. “Something is clearly wrong with our democracy,” he said.

He also criticized the National Assembly, accusing it of ignoring critical reforms like the Electoral Act amendment while fast-tracking trivial issues. “The reversal to the old national anthem was passed within hours. That is what they consider priority,” he said.

On the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Peterside was direct: “The election is rigged even before it begins.” He alleged that many of the Resident Electoral Commissioners are political loyalists with vested interests, which undermines the integrity of the electoral process from the onset.

In his closing remarks, Peterside warned that democracy is not a gift but a responsibility. He urged citizens, civil society, and the media to stop watching from the sidelines. “We cannot remain armchair critics and expect things to change. Nothing will change,” he said. “It is not those in government today that will fix the system. Nigerians must rise and defend democracy. Legitimacy must come from the ballot box.”