On democracy and the politics of merit, by Engr. Bello Gwarzo Abdullahi, FNSE For democracy to truly work in Nigeria, we must begin to confront our realities with honesty and sincerity. The country cannot continue to be held hostage by political arrangements packaged as “gentleman’s agreements” while the genuine interests of ordinary Nigerians remain ignored. Any attempt by political elites to impose predetermined outcomes on citizens outside the democratic process is not democracy; it is a direct assault on the popular will, and it must be resisted. As the 2027 elections...