By David Owei, Baylesa

The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has said Nigeria does not qualify to address itself as a democratic society in view of the brazen manner the country’s leaders and institutions show disrespect for the rule of law.

The Deputy Governor made the assertion on Wednesday when a high-powered delegation from the Law Faculty of the Niger Delta University (NDU), led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Allen Agih, paid him a courtesy in Government House, Yenagoa.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo, who said “Nigeria is not a democratic society but merely wearing the toga of democracy,” emphasized that “once the rule of law is not respected, then there is invariably no democratic system.”

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, the Bayelsa Number Two Citizen, expressed worry that if the present trend of flagrant abuse of political power continues unabated, the country would slide into total anarchy and chaos.

According to him, the main problem of contemporary Nigerian society is that those who have the opportunity to turn things around for the good of majority of the people, fail to do so because of greed and lack of selfless patriotism.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo, who paid tribute to the late Jimmy Carter, a former president of the United States, for his contributions towards healthcare and democratic entrenchment in Africa, lamented how deliberate steps were being taken to destroy democracy in Nigeria.

He, however, applauded Alhaji Aliko Dangote and a few other Nigerians who are using their foundations to give back to society, especially in the area of providing free health services to the citizenry.

His words: “Nobody should be under any illusion that Nigeria is a democratic society. No, we are not a democratic society.

“We are merely wearing the toga of civilians, but there is no true democracy in this country, as far as I am concerned. In a democracy, the rule of law becomes the ultimate.

“Once the Rule of Law is not there, then there is no democratic system, and we are sliding towards the period of brute life, anarchy and chaos. That is the way we see it from the angle of the law.

“I believe that in our society today, those who have don’t give what they have to build society. Rather, what they do is to take more from society which has made them what they are. Apart from Dangote and are few others, most people don’t give back to our society.

“For me, I believe that at this stage of my life, I owe society; Society no longer owes me. That is my modus operandi and motivation. So whatever I can do to sacrifice to society, that is what I’m doing.”

The Deputy Governor, who thanked the NDU delegation for recognising his modest contribution towards the advancement of the Law Faculty and the university in general, urged them to give a greater honour to the governor, who is the visitor to the institution.

Responding to their requests, he promised that government would address the issues of hostel accommodation and expanding the e-library project for the faculty before the next accreditation visit of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and Council for Legal Education.

Speaking earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the Niger Delta University, Professor Allen Agih, said the visit was primarily to appreciate the Deputy Governor for his unquantifiable support to the University, especially its Faculty of Law, adding that his personal sacrifice in lecturing law students of the university would not go unrewarded.

Acting Dean of the Faculty of Law, NDU, Dr. Gogo Otuturu, also applauded Senator Ewhrudjakpo for creating time out of his tight schedule to handle three different law courses.

Dr. Otuturu said government needed to address some infrastructural challenges at the Law Faculty, namely a befitting Faculty building, hostel facilities for male and female students, extension of the solarization project, as well as expansion of the e-library.

Highpoint of the visit was the presentation of a Certificate of Appreciation by the NDU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Allen Agih, to the Deputy Governor in recognition of his immense intellectual and sacrificial contributions towards the development of the faculty of law and the university

The NDU delegation included the Head of Department, Private and Property Law, Prof. Felix Eboibi, the Head of Department Jurisprudence Law, Dr. Kelvin Bribena, and Professor of Oil and Gas Law, Prof. Damfebo Derri.

Others were the Facility Examinations Officer, Dr. Richard Ogbe, the Personal Assistant to the Vice Chancellor, Dr Emmanuel Amagbe and the Faculty Officer, Mr Kehinde Slaboh.