NIGERIAN ENVOY CALLS FOR RESTRUCTURING OF AFRICA'S POLITICAL PROCESS.

The Nigerian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Burundi, His Excellency, Ambassador Elijah Onyeagba PhD, has called on Africa's political and democratic players to develop standard templates for democratic governance across the region which will meet the peculiarities of Africa's political system.

Speaking in Getiga at an event organised by the ruling Party of Burundi, CNDD-FDD for the Women’s League of the party, Amb Elijah Onyeagba who represented the leadership of Nigeria's ruling political party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), corrected the view held by some Africans advocating for the adoption of the western style of politics; saying that what worked for the democratic process in the western world will not necessarily work in the African democratic circle.

He argued that ''Western style multi party democracy is good for the Westerners and Europeans but not so suitable for Africa." He explained that in the Western style of democracy, decisions are taken by majority voters with its advantages of transparency, speed and efficiency; but it always ignores the views of the minority while the African ideal states that "I am because we are." The "we" denotes the community, rather than "I am because I am" of the western world.

He advised African policy makers that in developing a system of democratic governance in Africa, political players should concentrate their forces in developing a template which will not only accommodate votes and views of the majority but also accommodate the views of the minority in decision making and governance.

He recalled that the histories of different African civil wars emanated from the dissatisfaction of certain tribes who were marginalized, excluded or ignored in governance and leadership of their individual countries.

He commended the Republic of Burundi for its unique Executive and Parliamentary system.