The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has stated that democracy should not be reduced to periodic elections, but should function as a social contract measured by accountability and transparency.
The Minister stated this on Tuesday while speaking at the Distinguished Personality Lecture at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Abuja.
He argued that democratic governance must move beyond elections to deliver tangible improvements in citizens’ lives.
Wike called for purposeful political leadership, saying it is a critical link between democracy and infrastructure development in Nigeria.
“For the ordinary citizen, democracy must mean roads that work, hospitals that heal, water that runs, and security that reassures,” he said, noting that where infrastructure fails, public trust in governance erodes.
He said: “The democracy Nigeria requires, therefore, must go beyond electoral rituals to manifest in everyday accountability, transparency, and active citizen participation.
“It must be a system that treats public office not as a privilege to be exploited, but as a sacred trust to be honoured; not as an avenue for personal enrichment, but as a platform for collective transformation.
“Good governance is the engine that drives this aspiration, ensuring that institutions function efficiently and equitably, and that government remains responsive to the needs, dignity, and legitimate expectations of the people.”
