The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), yesterday said that the feeling of despondency is thick in the air, as the country mark's its 10 years of democracy, insisting that all hands must be on deck to save the country from the stranglehold of those bent on driving it under.

The association also expressed regrets that corruption remains intractable and has been elevated to a prime position of a national culture.

Chief Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), President NBA in a statement to mark Nigeria's democracy at 10, said "the democratic principles, liberally espoused by the modern world, have been an impossibility in Nigeria simply because of the cabal who continually hold the country down.

The will of the electorate amounts to nothing in the macabre dance for primitive appropriation of the commonwealth. So deep are we in a quagmire that extrication will require more than mere analyses of the socio-economic problems. All hands must be on deck to save our dear country from the stranglehold of those bent on driving it under".

According to him, "it is a sad commentary on our national affairs that the problem of corruption remains intractable. It has now been elevated to a prime position of a national culture. Corrupt elements direct our affairs and successive governments appear incapable of arresting the free fall to the abyss of infamy, it is arguable that key functionaries, in particular those under whose offices the burden rest to address this malaise are its promoters".

"The key sectors of the economy have been run aground. Service delivery in the health sector is laughable. Our roads continue to be a major source of unpardonable mortality after the appropriation of trillions of naira. The issue of security weighs down Nigerians as they are forced to provide their own security. Brazen acts of criminality, in various shades, thrive and the response of the state has been fitful and grossly inadequate. The government of the day seems ill-prepared for the enormous task ahead.

"There appears to be some gestures on the part of the leadership of the present administration which suggest that it has little difficulty in obeying court orders. Its insistence however on maintaining the status quo as exemplified in its retention of Maurice Iwu in office as Chairman INEC, one of many appointments of characters whose antecedents are mainly of moral turpitude casts doubts on its sincerity.

"The electoral process has neither been free nor fair since inception. The political landscape has been monetized to the extent that the role of the electorate has been abolished. Parties go to the polls without any discernible programmes or manifestos. We have an electoral body that is more interested in pleasing the ruling party than anything else. Violence is freely and liberally sponsored by politicians and none has been made to account for such acts till date.

The election that ushered in the latest civil government was marred with irregularities. The subsequent ones under the watch of this Government inspite of its messianic pretensions cannot be described as elections considering the extent of brigandage and veritable acts of treason committed by the political class against the Nigerian people. The 2007 general elections saw the abrogation of the right of the electorate to choose their representatives", he added.