By Ikenna Osuoha, NAN

Nigeria, the most populous black nation in the world, transitioned from military rule to civilian rule in 1999.  The transition came after many years of military rule following the derailment of democracy in 1983.

Some analysts say Nigeria’s democratic journey is nascent and blossoming while others say it is buffeted by many challenges including godfatherism.

Analysts say many young people making forays into politics are often faced with financial challenges and limited political network—making the help of godfathers inevitable.

These godfathers sponsor political candidates for elections or political appointments and expect loyalty, homage and sometimes, painful concessions from their protégées.

Weighing in on Nigeria’s democratic journey vis a vis godfatherism, stakeholders say the Nigeria has fared well so far in spite of the threat posed by godfatherism.

Rep. Chinedu Obika, the lawmaker representing AMAC/FCT in the House of Representatives, expressed satisfaction with Nigeria’s democracy.

“No democracy is perfect; our democracy is growing; though it has its challenges,” he said.

Also, the House of Representative member for Ezeagu/Udi Federal Constituency, Rep. Cyriacus Umeha, expressed optimism over the state of Nigerian democracy.

Umeha affirmed his strong belief in the efficiency of Nigeria democracy.

“Our democracy is not yet where it is supposed to be, but it is not totally bad,” he said.

Another public affairs analyst, Alhaji Shehu Abdulkadir, said that godfatherism had the capacity to discourage credible candidates who lacked powerful backers.

Abdulkadir said that that godfatherism could promote corruption.

“Godfathers often expect returns on their “investment” in candidates, leading to patronage, embezzlement and diversion of public resources to satisfy personal or group interests,” he said.

Dr Niyi Olakunle, of the Centre for Democratic Studies (CDS), said democracy could not thrive under the “thorns” of “godfatherism.”

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Olakunle said that godfatherism could weaken accountability because elected officials might feel more accountable to their godfathers than to the electorate.

He said that godfatherism could reduce transparency and citizen engagement.

In his submission, ex-governorship candidate in Imo, Dr Bennett Lemchi, argued that Nigeria’s democratic journey since 1999 had been inconsistent with democratic principles.

He said Nigeria’s democracy was growing but identified godfatherism as one of the greatest challenges.

Lemchi, who appraised Nigeria’s democratic journey as an evolving process, warned against undemocratic vices that had impeded true practice of democracy.

He condemned the tolerance of godfatherism in Nigeria’s democratic process.

According to Lemchi, such a practice is an affront on the people’s power to elect candidates of their choice.

A legal practitioner, Mr Emmanuel Amadi, who scored Nigeria’s democratic journey low, said it has been marred with undemocratic norms like godfatherism.

Amadi described godfatherism as a vicious practice capable of usurping power and relevance from the people.

He said that godfatherism had deepened corruption in Nigeria’s nascent democracy by arrogating arbitrary powers to single persons instead of the people.

“Godfatherism renders the people irrelevant in the democratisation process.

“It involves the major players– the godson and the godfather whose ego prevents them from placing the people and welfare the people above every other things,” he said.

Chief Princewill Okorie, the National President, Association for Public Policy Analysis, said Nigeria’s democratisation process had evolved significantly since the transition from military rule to democratic governance in 1999.

Okorie said that democracy was given birth to when the military head of state handed over power to an elected civilian president.

He, however, said that overtime, the democratic governance had faced substantial challenges.

The public affairs analyst said that the democratisation process in Nigeria began to encounter obstacle in its journey when godfatherism came in and polluted the system.

“Godfatherism is a system where influential political figures (godfathers) use their power and resources to determine who holds political office, often prioritising loyalty over competence.

“Godfatherism largely undermines democratic governance and the rule of law.’’

The public affairs analyst warned that godfatherism had the potential to erode internal democracy.

Okorie explained that political godfathers-imposed candidates without allowing democratic primaries or fair competition within parties.

He said that godfatherism could undermine rule of law.

“Godfathers can manipulate law enforcement and judicial processes to protect their interests, weakening institutional independence and the impartiality of justice,” he said.

Okorie said that while democratisation in Nigeria had progressed in terms of formal structures, godfatherism remained a significant threat to the deepening of democratic norms.

He advised that for Nigeria to move forward, there was need to build stronger institutions, greater civic education, internal party reforms and legal frameworks that reduced the influence of money and patronage in politics.

More so, Dr Etim Bassey, Coordinator, Coalition for Peaceful Nigeria (CPN), said that godfatherism had been the greatest challenge of Nigeria’s democracy.

Bassey said that godfatherism has redefined democracy as a government of the godfather by the godfather and for the godfather.

He described the supremacy of godfatherism as slap on the rule of law.

A librarian, Mrs Sylvia Oguamanam, said that Nigeria’s democracy could be sacrificed on the altar of godfatherism if power would not be returned to the people.

Oguamanam expressed worry over the brazen takeover of power by kleptomaniacs in the name of godfathers from the people.

A public affairs commentator and convener, Conscience and Leadership Forum, Chief Livingstone Fyneface, said that godfatherism could stifle meritocracy.

Fyneface argued that Leadership positions were rarely based on competence but on loyalty to godfathers, often resulting in poor governance and policy failures.

He said that Nigeria’s democratic journey would have recorded uninterrupted success if not for the vice of godfatherism.

According to him, the ugly trend has not only undermined good governance but truncated Nigeria’s democratic norms.

A political commentator, Chief Angus Uzoamaka, said democracy was a form of people’s government.

Uzoamaka explained that the people were the holders of power in the government who have the right to regulate, defend and protect themselves from coercion from their representatives.

According to him, anything short of that is a divorce from the definition of democracy.

In all, political pundits say godfatherism has indeed produced many notable and budding politicians in Nigeria; hence, it is difficult to stamp out.

They say to curb the negative impact of godfatherism in Nigeria’s political system, electoral reforms and civic education are critical. (NANfeatures)