By Anayo Okoli

UMUAHIA—THE Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kalu, has said that Nigerian democracy is sick and malfunctioning and called for restructuring of the system to entrench true democracy and true federalism.

According to Kalu, what Nigeria is practicing at present does not even reflect quasi federalism, insisting that there is genuine need for the country to be restructured in line with the principles of real democracy.

The Speaker, who spoke to journalists on the 19 years of the nation’s democracy, said that he is only celebrating life given to him by God because the democracy as presently being practiced in Nigeria does not call for celebration.

He expressed disappointment that former President Goodluck Jonathan did not implement the report of 2014 National Conference which he convoked, and that President Muhammudu Buhari administration did not also show interest in the implementation of the 2014 Conference report.

According to Kalu, the 2014 conference report contains a lot of salient points and positions that would have settled many of the problems weighing down the country down.

“The democracy as being practiced in Nigeria today is not true democracy. Democracy in Nigeria is sick, it is malfunctioning. Rule of law is not being observed. The principles of democracy are being violated and that is why I said it is malfunctioning.

“Democracy entails running a federal system, but Nigeria is not practicing federalism. That is one of the major faults of   democracy in Nigeria. In fact, we are not even practicing quasi federalism. That is why I am for restructuring of the system.

“The system has to be restructured in line with real federalism to reflect all the components of the state.”