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Democracy a common value of humanity, not prerogative reserved to few
By Huan Yuping, People’s Daily
The United States recently held the so-called second “Summit for Democracy,” which was said to be an “ideological” meeting by U.S. media.
At the summit, the U.S. government once again acted to split the world into two camps of what it defined as “democracies and non-democracies.” However, the U.S., claiming supremacy over others and following hegemony to serve the interests of none other than itself, has nothing to do with democracy. What it does is to provoke bloc confrontation.
There is no democratic system that can claim to be superior to others. No country is qualified to act as the judge of democracy. All peoples should and are able to independently develop a path of democracy with the characteristics of their own country, thus contributing their wisdom and strength to enriching the diversity of democracy.
Democracy means “rule by the people” or “sovereignty of the people.” It is not abstract, but a concrete phenomenon that is constantly evolving. There is no fixed model of democracy. Every form of democracy is the result of the development of human political civilization under certain historical conditions.
There are more than 200 countries and regions, and over 2,500 ethnic groups in the world. Different histories, national conditions, ethnic groups and customs give birth to different civilizations. Such diversity and differences have decided that there are no identical political systems in the world, and neither is there a political model that fits all.
Each country’s political system is unique based on different national conditions. A country’s political system is chosen by its people and is the result of a long-term process of evolution and improvement on the basis of its history, cultural traditions, and economic and social development.
History and reality have shown time and again that copying other countries’ political systems and democratic models will not work. More importantly, it will even lead to social unrest, national division, deaths and the overthrow of regimes, and ruin the future and destiny of the country.
Many non-Western countries developed their democratic systems based on the basic principle of democracy and their national conditions, thus achieving sound governance.
From a historical perspective, the development of democracy in the U.S. was a step forward. However, over the years, its democracy has become alienated and degenerated, and it has increasingly deviated from the essence of democracy and its original design. The halo of its self-proclaimed “global beacon of democracy” has long lost its luster.
The U.S. today is troubled with messy and chaotic practices of democracy, and the nature of money politics and oligarchy is constantly exposed. According to OpenSecrets statistics, the total cost of the 2022 state and federal midterm elections was nearly $17 billion, the highest in history, exceeding the annual GDP of over 70 countries in 2021.
Democracy is meant to be used to solve problems faced by the people. However, the governance capability of American democracy has been on a constant decline.
Politicians run on slogans and empty promises, but never make good on their promises. Most ordinary voters are mobilized only in voting, and then they are neglected and cannot have any real influence on political decisions. Their voices and appeals for democracy are even considered a “noise.”
This has led to a growing disillusionment with American democracy. Americans’ pride in their democracy has dropped sharply, from 90% in 2002 to 54% in 2022, according to a joint Washington Post-University of Maryland survey. A Pew Center poll said 65 percent of Americans believe that the American democratic system needs major reforms, while 57 percent of respondents believe the U.S. is no longer a model of democracy.
Democracy is the right of the people in every country, rather than the prerogative of a few nations. Assessing the myriad political systems in the world against a single yardstick and examining diverse political structures in monochrome are in themselves undemocratic. Launching so-called “democratic transition” in other countries is to trample on the spirit of democracy.
More and more countries have realized today that to find a development path that suits themselves, they must stay alert to the dangerous act of the export of U.S. democracy.
Without regard to huge differences in the level of economic development and in the historical and cultural backgrounds of countries around the world, the U.S. seeks to impose its own political system and values on other nations, which has placed many countries and regions in turbulences, conflicts and wars.
As suggested by a foreign media outlet, democracy has long become a weapon of massive destruction for the U.S. to attack countries with different views.
The current U.S. administration has ignored lessons of history, the chaos of American democracy and the rejection of the overwhelming majority of countries to being kidnapped by the hypocritical “concept of democracy” of the U.S. It has kept fabricating and selling the trumped-up narrative of “democracy versus authoritarianism.”
Such practices of advancing its own geostrategy under the disguise of “democracy” are destined to be abandoned by the times.
President of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations Richard Haass called the “Summit for Democracy” a “bad idea,” saying American democracy is hardly a model for others.
Democracy is a common value of humanity. Countries should respect the cultural diversity of civilizations, carry forward the common value of humanity, sincerely support all efforts to independently explore a path to democracy, and enhance mutual learning on democracy based on mutual respect and equality, so as to push for the continuous development of democracy and build a world where all countries appreciate the culture and values of others as do to their own.
By Fabian Apechihin
The 2026 Constitution Amendment Bill has moved to the state level following its consideration by the National Assembly, paving the way for state legislatures to consider the proposed amendments.
The development comes amid renewed attention on constitutional reform and ongoing discussions over proposed changes to Nigeria’s governing framework.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has defended FCT Minister Nyesom Wike over allegations surrounding borrowing by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
House spokesperson Akin Rotimi Agbese, speaking in an interview with Channels Television, rejected claims that Wike had undertaken borrowing without the knowledge or approval of the National Assembly.
Agbese said the FCT minister could not independently create a sovereign borrowing obligation, stressing that public borrowing is subject to constitutional, statutory and administrative procedures.
“Wike has committed no infraction in borrowings. There is no basis for the allegation that he has been borrowing money behind the back of the National Assembly,” Agbese said.
He explained that borrowing to finance infrastructure was not unlawful where the required approvals and procedures had been followed.
“Borrowing for infrastructure development is not unlawful in itself, provided the prescribed approvals and procedures are followed,” he added.
The House spokesperson further argued that an increase in the FCT’s debt profile should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of illegal borrowing, citing the scale of infrastructure projects being undertaken in Abuja under Wike.
According to Agbese, the key issue is whether the appropriate approvals were obtained for specific borrowing transactions, rather than simply whether the FCT’s overall debt profile has increased.
The comments come as scrutiny continues over public borrowing, infrastructure financing and the legal procedures governing government debt at both the federal and sub-national levels.
By Fabian Apechihin
The 2026 Constitution Amendment Bill has moved to the state level following its consideration by the National Assembly, paving the way for state legislatures to consider the proposed amendments.
The development comes amid renewed attention on constitutional reform and ongoing discussions over proposed changes to Nigeria’s governing framework.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has defended FCT Minister Nyesom Wike over allegations surrounding borrowing by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
House spokesperson Akin Rotimi Agbese, speaking in an interview with Channels Television, rejected claims that Wike had undertaken borrowing without the knowledge or approval of the National Assembly.
Agbese said the FCT minister could not independently create a sovereign borrowing obligation, stressing that public borrowing is subject to constitutional, statutory and administrative procedures.
“Wike has committed no infraction in borrowings. There is no basis for the allegation that he has been borrowing money behind the back of the National Assembly,” Agbese said.
He explained that borrowing to finance infrastructure was not unlawful where the required approvals and procedures had been followed.
“Borrowing for infrastructure development is not unlawful in itself, provided the prescribed approvals and procedures are followed,” he added.
The House spokesperson further argued that an increase in the FCT’s debt profile should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of illegal borrowing, citing the scale of infrastructure projects being undertaken in Abuja under Wike.
According to Agbese, the key issue is whether the appropriate approvals were obtained for specific borrowing transactions, rather than simply whether the FCT’s overall debt profile has increased.
The comments come as scrutiny continues over public borrowing, infrastructure financing and the legal procedures governing government debt at both the federal and sub-national levels.
By Fabian Apechihin
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reaffirmed its intention to contest the 2027 presidential election despite the decision of Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The party said Wike’s decision was personal and did not alter its position to participate in the presidential election with its candidate, Senator Sandy Onor. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, made the clarification on Wednesday.
According to the party, a recent conversation between Wike and Onor should not be interpreted as a political negotiation between the minister and the PDP.
“He told Nigerians that Sandy is his friend. And they only had a friendly discussion within the umbrella of friendship. So, that is just a personal discussion between him and his friend,” Mohammed said.
He added that Wike’s support for Tinubu did not prevent the PDP from fielding candidates for the presidential, governorship and legislative elections.
Wike had earlier clarified that his support in 2027 was specifically for Tinubu’s presidential re-election and did not amount to an agreement that the PDP would withdraw from other electoral contests. He also said he never promised that the PDP would abandon its candidates for governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.
“I said I will support the President from day one. I never told Mr President I will join APC,” Wike said.
The minister also maintained that his proposed Rainbow Coalition was not an arrangement with the All Progressives Congress (APC), but rather a platform through which politicians from different parties could mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election.
The issue has generated disagreement with some APC governors, who have expressed concern about a political arrangement that could affect the party’s candidates at other levels.
APC Progressive Governors’ Forum Chairman, Hope Uzodinma, said the governors would not support any alliance or arrangement that could weaken the APC or adversely affect its candidates.
Meanwhile, APC presidential campaign council spokesperson Ima Niboro has urged Wike and APC governors to end their public exchanges and concentrate on political mobilisation.
“When I said tone down the rhetoric, I do not mean stop working. Stop talking, go and work,” Niboro said.
He urged political leaders to strengthen their grassroots structures and engage directly with voters rather than continue exchanging statements in the media.
“All this shouting is not taking anybody anywhere. Go and work. Go and establish your authority on your political base,” he said.
2026 Constitution Amendment Bill Moves to States
2026 Constitution Amendment Bill Moves to States
2027: PDP Insists on Presidential Contest Despite Wike’s Support for Tinubu
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