Democracy: Nigeria has made substantial progress in 20 years – Lawan

Senate president Ahmad Lawan has said that Nigeria had made significant progress over the last 20 years since the country’s return to democracy in 1999.

Lawan said this on Thursday in Abuja at the 17th edition of the Daily Trust Dialogue which had the theme: “Twenty Years of Democracy in Nigeria: Strengths, Weaknesses and Opportunities”.

A statement by his Special Assistant (Press), Mr Ezrel Tabiowo, indicated that Lawan was represented by the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Sabi Abdullahi.

Lawan said that representation, appropriation and legislation were critical to good governance.

According to him, these virtues are enshrined in a democratic set up which Nigerians have experienced in the last 20 years.

Lawan spoke further: “Nigeria has made substantial progress on all counts; we have been steady, determined and forward-looking.

“We have developed to a point where we can look no other way, other than the democratic way.

“What we now have to do, as we have been doing in the National Assembly, is to perfect the system.

“The point has been severally made that there is no perfect democracy anywhere in the world, but the hallmark of a good democracy is the ability to develop its processes and procedures,” Lawan said.