[FULL TEXT] Rt. Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu’s Exclusive Interview with Signature TV "Good Morning Show; Independence Edition"

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...Enugu Former Assembly Leader Speaks on Failures, Prospects, and the Way Forward for Nigeria’s Democracy

"our democracy has institutions but is crippled by selfishness, money politics, and elite capture. Until the people themselves take ownership of the process, democracy will continue to fall short of its promise" --Rt. Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu PhD

   

An Interview with Rt. Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu PhD

(Signature TV’s Good Morning Show)

Host:

Has democracy enhanced Nigeria’s development? That question, I’m sure you know too, raises a number of fundamental issues. This morning, I have a guest who is in a better position to help us navigate this conversation. He was in the Enugu State House of Assembly for 12 years, and for 8 of those years, he served as the Leader of the House. Rt. Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu PhD, you’re welcome to the programme.

Ezeugwu:

It’s my pleasure, sir. Thank you for having me.

On Democracy and Legislature

Host:

Democracy means nothing without the legislature. Even in a military government, the executive functions completely, the judiciary is there functioning completely. But what shows that a country is not democratic is the absence of the people’s representatives the legislature. For democracy to have meaning in definition, in fact, and in operation, the legislature must be there. You were in the thick of it for 12 years. How can you assess Nigeria’s democratic journey from 1999 till now?

Ezeugwu:

Thank you, Chief, for having me, and thank you viewers for being there. It’s a mixture of feelings, really neither here nor there. Democracy, as we all know, is government of the people, by the people, and for the people. But do we live out this definition in practice? The answer depends on who you ask.

From 1999, many of us were enthusiastic and hopeful. Initially, democracy looked better than military rule since the military does not account to anyone. But as you said, under the military, while the executive and judiciary functioned, the legislature the true symbol of democracy was absent.

Now, even though we have a legislature, the question remains: is it living up to expectations? Do we have true separation of powers, with checks and balances as envisaged by the Constitution? Unfortunately, the answer is no. We have ourselves to blame. At a point, we were making progress, but the situation has gone from bad to worse.

On the Decline of Democracy

Host:

Where did our democracy begin to lose the function of the legislature, which is its core institution?

Ezeugwu:

It boils down to individual intentions. Our forefathers, like Nnamdi Azikiwe, fought for liberation and egalitarianism, not selfish gain. Today, selfishness dominates politics. Worse still, the masses also enable it. A corrupt politician remains corrupt, but Nigerians often defend thieves from their tribe. Every group protects its own “thief.” At the end, no one is protected.

On Political Parties and Their Failures

Host:

Do you think the structure, operation, and funding of political parties affect the emergence of the wrong people in Nigerian politics?

Ezeugwu:

Yes, absolutely. Political parties are hijacked by a few powerful individuals. A hungry man, focused only on survival, cannot care about tomorrow. That’s why when laws are made, the people must be carried along through public hearings, so they feel ownership of the process. But instead, parties are run by cliques. He who pays the piper dictates the tune.

That’s why governors often treat legislatures as their personal estates. They determine who emerges, who gets watered, and who is harvested. The legislature becomes an extension of the governor’s will. Even Supreme Court rulings on financial independence of legislatures and local governments are ignored. Instead of obeying the law, governors seek “political solutions” with the presidency — and the matter dies quietly.

On Candidate Selection

Host:

But why does the legislature itself allow this? Why do they act complicit?

Ezeugwu:

Because most legislators emerge through political parties controlled by governors and godfathers. The candidates that the masses vote for are already pre-selected. That’s why I’ve advocated for independent candidates.

Ask yourself: how can a governor choose someone he wouldn’t employ as a secretary in his private company, and impose that person on the people to make laws? This is possible because parties are controlled, not people-driven. Until we return power to the people at the grassroots, nothing will change.

On Money Politics and “Apex Leaders”

Host:

And then there is this concept of “Apex leaders” in politics. What do you make of it?

Ezeugwu:

Frankly, I only began hearing about “Apex leaders” recently. But it shows how our politics has been partitioned just like colonial powers partitioned Africa. Certain individuals allocate council seats, chairmanships, or even legislative positions. It reduces politics to zoning and micro-zoning, instead of merit and people’s choice. That is why Nigerian democracy struggles to grow.

On Development Under Military vs. Civilian Rule

Host:

Now let me provoke you a little. If I count monuments of national development, Tincan Island Port, refineries, Ajaokuta Steel, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, they were all under military rule. Can you mention equivalent monumental achievements under democracy?

Ezeugwu:

You are right about physical monuments. But democracy is about institution-building, which the military never prioritized. Houses of Assembly Service Commissions, legislative training, democratic institutions — these are invisible but vital.

However, I admit: democracy has not delivered as much as expected. The cost of governance is too high. We must cut it down. And we must stop reducing politics to money-sharing.

On Democratized Poverty

Host:

But look at it. After the civil war, jobs were everywhere. Graduates were absorbed by companies like Leventis, SCOA, Kingsway Stores. With a loan, I bought a brand-new car on my NTA salary. The system, though under military rule, did not impoverish me. But today, democracy has effectively democratized poverty. It has spread hunger. Isn’t this why Nigerians now glorify burning their leaders in protests?

Ezeugwu:

You are right, sir. Many Nigerians have lost faith. But the solution is not a return to military rule. The solution is building real democratic institutions, returning power to the people, allowing independent candidates, and ensuring political parties are truly mass-driven.

Some of us joined politics as technocrats, not for personal gain. That’s why I started scholarship schemes for undergraduates — because I saw firsthand how much 50,000 naira could change a life. So there are genuine people in politics, but the system needs reform to allow them to thrive.

Host (Closing):

This is part of our Nigeria @ 65 Independence Anniversary series, asking: has democracy enhanced Nigeria’s development? Rt. Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, former Leader of the Enugu State House of Assembly, after 12 years in the legislature, says: our democracy has institutions but is crippled by selfishness, money politics, and elite capture. Until the people themselves take ownership of the process, democracy will continue to fall short of its promise.

WATCH:

https://youtu.be/wDaRIokH-ps?si=THTAVkUr8HdKYoYA