NBA tasks Nigerians to enforce democracy

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called on citizens to invest interest in and enforce democracy.

The former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Cross River State and Chairman of NBA Calabar branch, Attah Ochinke made the call at the ongoing Bar Week.

He warned that democracy might derail if Nigerians do not stand up and speak up against unhealthy governance.

“Democracy is not self-enforcing, if you don’t enforce it, stand up as a people to guide it, it will derail. Also, the people we elected into government should realise that they do not own the government because we elected them.

“We the people must participate in democratic governance by standing up to make our point when the occasion demands.

“Nigerians should know that it is actually our right and as citizens we are doing our duty if we stand up to our duty.

“If there is corruption and we point at the government official involved and say you’re wrong, we are doing the right thing.”

He stressed that it is the duty of the electorate to hold the leaders they elected accountable.

“Nigerians should disagree that they are poke-nosing or meddling with constituted authority when they ask questions about how they are being governed.

Ochinke maintained that the NBA will help to raise the consciousness of Nigerians and make them understand that their votes mean they are hiring people to manage their affairs.

“We hope to raise the consciousness of the people to understand that the vote they are going to cast means they are going to hire people that will conduct their affairs.

“So, when you go to vote understand the consequences of your vote which is that you are choosing people who will manage your affairs for the next four years”, the former attorney general said.

Also at the event, Nella Andem Ewa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and chairperson of the organising committee for this year’s Bar week, said Nigeria’s reality inspired the theme of the event.

She maintained that it is time to interrogate the issues that beset Nigeria as a nation.