The Executive Director of #FixPolitics, Anthony Ubani, has said that African leaders need to focus on building the right democracy to deliver good governance.
Ubani, who anchors the day-to-day running of the #FixPolitics group, told journalists in Lagos that due to bad politics, African countries failed to develop their human and economic capacities.
“Politics in any given society determines the level of human and economic development,” Ubani said, according to a statement on Monday by #FixPolitics Publicist and Spokesman, Mr. Ozioma Ubabukoh.
Laying emphasis on Nigeria, he added, “Where you find that human and economic development is high and positive, it means that politics in that society is also positive and productive. But where the human and economic indicators are very low, like in Nigeria, whether in education, health, life expectancy or justice, you will find that the country is almost at the bottom of development.
“It becomes clear that the reason almost all African countries lack development is simply because their politics is much challenged.”
To make politics right in Nigeria and Africa in general, Ubani, who leads the implementation of the Triangular Pillars of Democracy of the #FixPolitics – emerging an empowered and engaged electorate; building a new value-based political class; and demanding constitutional, political and electoral change – said, would require the electorate to know their rights, so as to hold their leaders accountable.
“Engaging and empowering the electorate is number one pillar in any functional, sustainable democratic arrangement where the politics work.
“You need to have citizens who understand their rights, duties and responsibilities. In other words, citizens who understand the importance of exercising their civic responsibilities and franchise; not just to vote, but to cast an informed vote,” Ubani explained.
According to the #FixPolitics director, value-based leadership remains integral to driving the kind of political, electoral and constitutional reforms to get politics right in Africa.
“When we have value-based leaders, citizens who are engaged, empowered and know their rights to hold their leaders accountable, then the leaders would ensure they drive the kind of political, electoral and constitutional reforms to keep the society moving in the right direction.
“Things have to change. The best of us must come to leadership and fix politics, and claw back the continent from the bricks of disaster.
“We must get rid of the syndrome of ‘it is my turn to chop’, ‘chop I chop’, ‘fat belly’ and ‘stomach infrastructure’ leaders. The place to put emphasis is good politics. If we get it right, every other thing will be right,” he added.
