THERE are indications that the Federal Government may take the concept of Democracy Day beyond mere ceremonies and parades, come Wednesday, May 29.

Sources close to the Presidency, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, and Ministries of Finance and National Planning revealed that President Jonathan may use the occasion to emphasize that the gains of democracy embraces a culture of consultation, negotiation and consensus under the  inclusive umbrella of  good governance and efficient service delivery.

The Federal Government’s position derives from the realization that the only way to bring home the concept of a Democracy Day to ordinary Nigerians is to use the occasion to remind everyone of the essence of a democratic culture, assess the extent to which it is being imbibed by the institutions of state and the citizenry at large; and then take stock on performance, policy thrust and national development.

Presidency sources also say that the theme of the ongoing national centenary celebrations, “One Nation, Great Promise,” presents a context within which this year’s Democracy Day is being celebrated, noting that 100 years of togetherness cannot be wished away or ruined by temporary challenges of nation building.

The idea of a Mid-Term Performance Review Report of the administration is a way of bringing governance issues within the purview of responsible accounting to the people. This will give Nigerians a perspective on the extent to which The President has succeeded in the implementation of  the policies, programmes and projects making up the administration’s Transformation Agenda (2011 – 2015).