As Nigeria prepares to mark another Democracy Day on Thursday, June 12, 2025, ordinary citizens have expressed growing frustration that the gains of democratic governance have failed to improve their living conditions.
In interviews with BenriNews, several Nigerians shared their disappointment with the current state of democracy in the country, highlighting concerns about electoral integrity, institutional weakness, and economic hardship.
Chukwuemeka Mosindi, an Ibadan-based journalist, lamented that democratic dividends remain elusive for most citizens. "Things are really hard in the country now. It is only the government that can make available the dividends of democracy. Nigerians are hungry," he stated.
Mosindi further expressed disappointment that the hopes raised during the democratic struggle since 1993 have been dashed. "Nigerians' expectations that things would have fared better from 1993 till now have been dashed. They [politicians] are just enriching and connecting themselves. They are not doing the wishes of the citizenry," he added.
Electoral Integrity Concerns
A key issue identified by respondents was the perceived lack of electoral integrity. Mosindi argued that as long as citizens are denied genuine electoral power, democratic challenges will persist.
"As long as the people have no power to decide whom they want during those periodic elections, this problem will continue. The current situation is that the electorates are arm twisted to vote for the candidate with money to spend," he explained.
"Candidates are forced on the electorate and they don't really have a choice," Mosindi concluded.
Weak Institutions
Odeyemi Akolade, a civil servant, criticized Nigeria's democratic journey for prioritizing powerful individuals over strong institutions.
"We are just building strong individuals instead of institutions. Individuals would go, so what now remains of institutions?" he questioned.
Akolade also highlighted voter apathy as a symptom of deeper democratic deficiencies. "If only our votes can count. I know there are many Nigerians who mean well for this country but votes don't count and our politics have been monetised that politicians with real intentions are swallowed up by the bad system," he said.
He further criticized the dominance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), suggesting that these major parties often fail to present credible candidates to the electorate.
As Nigeria marks another Democracy Day, these testimonies reflect a growing concern among citizens that the democratic system has yet to deliver meaningful improvements to their daily lives, despite over two decades of civilian rule.
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