Injustice Causing Nigeria’s Faltering Democracy – Diri

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has identified injustice, lack of equity and unfairness as major factors responsible for the challenges confronting Nigeria’s democratic development.

Hotnews reports that Governor Diri advocated the practice of true fiscal federalism and strict adherence to the rule of law, stressing that democracy could not thrive in an environment where resources were unevenly distributed and the interests of some sections of the country were consistently undermined.

The Governor stated this on Tuesday while delivering a goodwill message at the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue, held at the International Conference Centre in Bauchi.

The dialogue, organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in collaboration with the Bauchi State Government, had as its theme: “Beyond Elections: Can Political Parties and the Judiciary Save African Democracy?” Former President Olusegun Obasanjo chaired the event.

The Bayelsa Governor argued that Nigeria had taken a wrong turn in its democratic journey and needed to address its structural imbalances if democracy was to become meaningful and beneficial to the people.

According to him, democracy should not be limited to the conduct of periodic elections but must be anchored on justice, equity, fairness, the rule of law and a federal structure that guarantees fairness in the management and distribution of the nation’s resources.

Governor Diri said: “Democracy is built on three pillars – justice, equity, and fairness. And I believe that we missed the road of democracy in Nigeria long ago because there is no justice.”

Using Bayelsa State as an example, the governor decried what he described as decades of injustice in the exploitation of the state’s natural resources, particularly crude oil.

He recalled that Oloibiri in Bayelsa State was the community where commercial oil production began in Nigeria, yet the area had remained grossly underdeveloped despite the enormous wealth generated from its resources.

The Governor said the situation represented a contradiction in the country’s development model, where oil-producing communities continued to grapple with inadequate infrastructure while revenues generated from their resources were distributed nationally.

He cited Southern Ijaw Local Government Area as another example, noting that despite its enormous contribution to the nation’s oil wealth, the area lacked road access for more than six decades.

According to the Governor, his administration had taken steps to address the infrastructure deficit by constructing a 630-metre bridge to provide access to the local government headquarters.

Senator Diri recalled that former President Obasanjo had also visited the area to inaugurate one of the projects, describing the former president’s gesture as an important demonstration of support for development in the Niger Delta.

The Governor further questioned the current structure of revenue distribution, particularly the disparity in the number of local government areas among states.

He noted that Bayelsa, despite having only eight local government areas and contributing significantly to the nation’s oil wealth, had its resources pooled and shared at the federal level among states with considerably more local government areas.

For Governor Diri, the situation amounted to structural inequality that could not be addressed merely by changing political leadership.

He maintained that irrespective of who occupies the presidency, the fundamental imbalance would persist unless the country undertakes meaningful reforms to its federal structure and resource allocation system.

The Governor said: “No matter who becomes president, this injustice and unfairness continue. Resources are being expropriated.”

Governor Diri also drew a connection between natural resource exploitation and insecurity, citing the discovery and exploitation of gold in some northern states.

He argued that the emergence of gold mining in states such as Zamfara had been accompanied by serious security challenges, suggesting that the country needed to examine the relationship between resource control, economic benefits and security.

He therefore called on Nigerian leaders to embrace true federalism, stressing that greater autonomy and fairness in resource management were essential to strengthening democracy and promoting national development.

The Bayelsa Governor warned that without genuine federalism, the country could continue to experience forms of governance that fall short of the ideals of democracy.

He said: “Until we begin to practice federalism, we will have some pseudo-democratic, pseudo-autocratic, and sometimes even a tyrannical government in this country.”

Senator Diri also emphasised the importance of continued dialogue in deepening Nigeria’s democratic culture.

He commended former President Goodluck Jonathan and the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation for sustaining the annual Democracy Dialogue, describing the initiative as an important platform for political leaders, academics, civil society actors and other stakeholders to deliberate on the country’s democratic future.

The Governor recalled that one of the editions of the dialogue had previously been hosted in Bayelsa State, describing the movement of the dialogue to different parts of the country as a positive development.

He said Nigeria needed more platforms where leaders could openly discuss its challenges and collectively seek solutions.

Governor Diri concluded by congratulating former President Jonathan for sustaining the initiative, expressing optimism that continued dialogue would contribute to building a stronger democratic culture and a more equitable Nigeria.

The 2026 dialogue therefore provided a platform for participants to examine the challenges confronting democracy beyond elections, including the role of political parties, the judiciary, federalism, justice and institutional accountability in strengthening democratic governance across Nigeria and Africa.

~ Hot News Reporters
Wednesday, 12, August, 2026