A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has said that poverty is a fundamental threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
Dogara made the statement at an event in Lagos, where he spoke on the topic, ‘Democracy and the Free Market Economy’.
He stressed that widespread poverty among Nigerian citizens indicated that democracy was not serving the majority effectively.
“Our democracy is not working for the majority of our citizens. Although they are alive and free, they lack the means to pursue happiness.
“Poverty is a greater threat to democracy than weak institutions because it deprives poor citizens of their political voice and prevents them from holding their governments accountable; shattering public trust in democratic institutions,” he said.
The former Speaker, who represented the Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa-Balewa Federal Constituency for 16 years and served as Speaker of the 8th Assembly, highlighted the importance of utilizing democratic rights to build an inclusive economy that empowers the majority of Nigerians to reach their full potential.
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