Prof Udenta warns each Nigerian election yields worse outcomes as democracy feels alien

Prof Udenta O. Udenta of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought told Trust TV on Friday that every election cycle in Nigeria produces a worse result, describing the country's democracy as 'alien' and 'not homegrown.' According to DAILY POST, he argued the system was imported rather than evolving from Nigerians' lived experiences, creating a disconnect where formal structures exist but substance deteriorates with each vote.

Udenta specifically criticized the presidential system as 'very expensive and very wasteful,' noting leaders can legally spend billions of naira on luxury without theft being involved. He contended this misdesign leaves citizens struggling to engage with a system not built for them, even as Nigeria marked 27 years of uninterrupted democratic governance on Friday. The core issue, he said, is that while democracy appears acceptable in form, its content fails because outcomes worsen cyclically.

This critique raises essential questions about governance suitability: If imported democratic models consistently deliver declining results, should Nigeria pursue systems indigenous to its social and political realities? Udenta's warning suggests that without homegrown reforms, each election may deepen public disillusionment despite procedural continuity.

What governance models rooted in Nigerian traditions and experiences could potentially break this cycle of worsening electoral outcomes?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/06/12/june-12-every-election-cycle-produces-a-worse-result-udenta/