Democracy is a system of government where by the people exercise their supreme authority directly or indirectly through their elected representatives who will rule in accordance with the will of the people. It is also a system of government that the opportunity to participate in an authoritative or legal decision making which is open for all who are willing and interested to take part in it. The Nigerian state assumed a new civilian government in the year 1999 after many years of military rule. Military dictatorship government was replaced by a civilian representative government which was democratic in nature,with high hopes that the government will be a good one and will cater for the interest of the people. The handover of power from the military to the civilian was later found to constitute threat to the foundation of democracy and wipe out the current efforts of consolidating the democracy of the country. The restoration of democratic rule in the country has witness a periodic change of government. Between 1999 to 2015 four different civilian governments have emerged and there have been four successive transition from one civilian to another (obasanjo administration 1999-2007, yar adua administration 2007-2011, Goodluck administration 2011-2015, Buhari administration 2015-till date. After the military handed over power to the civilian in 1999, the ban on political party and its activities was lifted and political prisoners where released from prison and detention. The constitution was made just like the American constitution used in 1979 in Nigeria second republic. Political parties were form, people Democratic party(PDP), Alliance for democracy (AD),,All Nigeria peoples party (ANPP), and many more were registered and election was set for mid 1999. After the election PDP won the majority and it's flag bearer who was a former military ruler Olusegun Obasanjo was made the head of state and commander in chief of armed forces on may 29 1999. Some measures were taken to consolidate democracy in the country in 2011 when the constitution was amended by the national assembly, similar method was tried in 2014 when the country organised a national constitutional conference which it report was later not implemented. A democratic government cannot exist in a vacuum,it must be built on a solid democratic culture that is guided by certain values. The concept that is needed for democratic consolidation includes the rule of law, fundamental human rights, and freedom as enshrined in the United Nations charter on human rights and peaceful existence. Governments must acknowledge that the rule of law is effective regulatory agency that brings respect and good governance to any society. Democracy and the rule of law are both in theory and practise mutually reinforcing. The rule of law is suppose to have as it's features the supremacy and predominant of law over the ruler and the ruled, equality of the law and impartiality of the law. Without the rule of law democracy is impracticable and can result in a breakdown of government in Nigeria. We need a leader who is of social conscience and have the interest of the people as his top priority so that the overthrowing of the civilian government of Nigeria will be unlikely and maybe totally avoided for a long time.
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