In a manner that evokes the image of a well-rehearsed orchestra, the upper and lower chambers of the National Assembly unanimously chorused their “ayes” to endorse the emergency declaration in oil-rich Rivers State. Like a stage play where the script has been pre-written, our lawmakers lent their voices to what many legal minds have condemned as an affront to democracy. While dissenting opinions on the illegality of the declaration by President Bola Tinubu have been loud and clear, our legislators, who are supposed to be custodians of democracy, did not hesitate to lend their approval to what some describe as a constitutional overreach.
One cannot help but wonder: Are these politicians truly democrats, or are they wolves in sheep’s clothing—dictators disguised in the regalia of civilian rule? Even the military overlords of yesteryears, who ruled with iron fists, were not as covert in their actions as these modern-day politicians, who wrap autocratic tendencies in legislative processes. The danger is real, and history is replete with examples of how democracies have been eroded—not through the gun, but through manipulative legislative and executive actions that silence dissent and consolidate power in the hands of a few.
The very essence of democracy is the ability of elected representatives to deliberate freely, to question, to debate, and ultimately, to decide in the interest of the people. But what happens when the people’s representatives abandon their duty and rubber-stamp executive decisions without scrutiny? When a president can, with the stroke of a pen, declare a state of emergency and suspend elected governors and legislators, then democracy teeters on the brink of destruction.
One must ask, under what section of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) does the president derive the power to suspend duly elected officials? The answer, much to the chagrin of legal scholars, is that no such provision exists. Constitutional governance is anchored on the principles of separation of powers and checks and balances. When one arm of government unilaterally assumes the role of another, tyranny is not far off.
Yet, instead of resisting such overreach, our lawmakers have chosen to play along, using voice votes as a convenient tool to stifle opposition. The voice vote, a method that lacks transparency and allows for manipulation, has become the preferred weapon of legislative subterfuge. What happened to electronic voting? What happened to individual accountability? Why should the fate of a nation be decided based on the unverified collective murmuring of “ayes” and “nays”?
The voice vote, in theory, is meant to gauge the majority’s stance on a legislative matter. However, in practice, it has become a tool for silencing dissent. “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist,” wrote Charles Baudelaire, a phrase popularized in The Usual Suspects. Similarly, the greatest trick our lawmakers have pulled is convincing Nigerians that voice votes represent the will of the people.
Why do our legislators shy away from transparent voting systems? Could it be that they fear accountability? That they dread a scenario where their constituents will see how they truly vote on critical national matters? The resources put in place to ensure smooth legislative processes—including electronic voting systems—cannot be ignored, yet lawmakers continue to embrace opacity over transparency.
The consequences of this charade are dire. If we allow our lawmakers to continue using voice votes as a smokescreen for unpopular decisions, we may soon find ourselves in a situation where democracy exists only in name. The erosion of democratic principles does not happen overnight; it creeps in gradually, masked in seemingly harmless legislative procedures until, one day, the people wake up to realize that their voices no longer matter.
We Must Resist Democratic Erosion
As the saying goes, eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. Nigerians must hold their lawmakers accountable. We must demand transparency in legislative proceedings. We must resist every attempt to truncate our hard-earned democracy. Let no one be deceived—democracies are not destroyed by external forces alone; often, the real threat comes from within, from those entrusted with safeguarding it but who, instead, chip away at its foundations for personal or political gains.
The burden of protecting democracy rests not just on opposition voices or civil society but on every Nigerian who believes in governance by the people, for the people. It is time to demand that our lawmakers abandon the deceptive practice of voice votes and embrace legislative integrity. The fate of the nation depends on it.
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