Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has said that Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary is characterised by electoral fraud and rigging despite endless circles of reforms thereby making mockery of election which he described as the bedrock of democracy.
The group observed that criminalized politics, corruption, and unaccountable governance dominate the political landscape since independence till date.
The Executive Director RULAAC, Mr Okechukwu Nwanguma stated this in his Independence Day Message of Nigeria @ 65 as made available to newsmen in Awka.
He regretted that the promise of independence remains largely unfulfilled, against the backdrop of deepening poverty, widening inequality, widespread insecurity, and a collapsed economy that drives millions into despair while a privileged minority in power live in reckless opulence.
“On October 1, 1960, Nigeria’s political forebears, through sacrifice and courage, secured independence from colonial rule. They envisioned a sovereign nation built on freedom, justice, unity, and prosperity. Sixty-five years later, Nigerians are compelled to ask: how much freedom do we truly have, and how far have our indigenous leaders taken us on the path of genuine development?
“Meanwhile, poverty deepens, inequality widens, insecurity spreads, and a collapsed economy drives millions into despair. The masses endure untold hardship, while a privileged minority in power live in reckless opulence.
“Independence anniversaries should not be hollow rituals of pomp and rhetoric. Government must be reminded of its primary constitutional duty: to guarantee the security and welfare of all citizens. Until this is taken seriously, the annual chorus of “Happy Independence” will remain an empty slogan,” he said.
Nwanguma charged Nigerians to wake up to their civic duty to defend democracy, demand accountability, and reclaim their country from the stranglehold of corrupt elites.
“Democracy, by definition, is government of the people; but that promise only becomes reality when the people insist that democracy must work for them.
“At 65, Nigeria stands at a historic crossroads: to continue sliding deeper into decline, or to rise and reclaim the spirit of independence that our forebears fought for. The time has come for Nigerians – like a people long pushed to the wall – to pick up the gauntlet, confront oppression, and insist on building a country that truly works for all,” Nwanguma concluded.
