By Brenda Chidinma Imo-Eze
The Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ebonyi State, Dr. Kingsley Obinna Agbor, has described Nigeria’s democracy as a failed promise, stating that it has brought more hardship than hope to the Nigerian people.
Dr. Agbor, who spoke to journalists in Abakaliki during the commemoration of Democracy Day, said that 25 years after the return to civil rule, Nigerians are yet to feel the impact of democracy.
“Democracy in Nigeria is a failed promise. It is a government of deceit. That is the way I can define it. It’s a government that has come to create suffering, poverty, hunger, starvation, and all sorts of inhumane situations. It is unfortunate that 25 years after civil rule, Nigerians are yet to understand the meaning of democracy,” he stated.
He decried the level of poverty in the country and the erosion of public trust in elections and the judiciary.
“People vote and the votes don’t count. We have the judiciary which is supposed to be the hope of the common man, but the reverse is the case. The judiciary is no longer the hope of the common man; it is now the hope of the highest bidder,” Agbor said.
He further argued that the current system no longer fits the definition of democracy.
“Democracy is supposed to be government of the people by the people and for the people. But what we have now is government of the people by the few rich and for the rich. So what we practice here is autocracy and dictatorship under civilian disguise,” he added.
Dr. Agbor also addressed public perception of the SDP in Ebonyi, insisting that the party is quietly gaining ground across the state.
“I have said it that SDP is growing silently in the 13 LGAs of Ebonyi State. People say it is not on the ground. Let them wait for 2027. We are building the party like an underground cable. By the time we come out, it will shock them,” he said.
On the performance of the APC-led government at the federal and state levels, Dr. Agbor said that the leadership has not prioritized the needs of the masses.
“What we have is a government of deception. Go to the rural communities, you’ll see people suffering. Building flyovers without food on people’s tables is not development,” he noted.
He urged Nigerians to remain hopeful, noting that true democracy is possible if citizens demand accountability.