Wike: Democracy Should Not Be Used For Personal Gain

According to Ireporter Online, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has emphasized that democracy should not be limited to periodic elections but should operate as a social contract grounded in accountability and transparency.

Speaking on Tuesday at the Distinguished Personality Lecture at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Abuja, Wike argued that democratic governance must go beyond the ballot box to deliver tangible improvements in citizens’ lives.

He highlighted the importance of purposeful political leadership as a critical link between democracy and infrastructural development in Nigeria. “For the ordinary citizen, democracy must mean roads that work, hospitals that heal, water that runs, and security that reassures,” Wike said, stressing that failed infrastructure undermines public trust in government.

Wike further stated, “The democracy Nigeria requires 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.”

He concluded by asserting that good governance is the engine driving this vision, ensuring that institutions operate efficiently, equitably, and remain responsive to the needs, dignity, and legitimate expectations of the people.