Nigeria still grappling with injustice, inequality – Tinubu

A leading figure in the June 12 struggle and former Lagos state governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Thursday said despite Nigeria’s modest democratic credentials,  the nation still lives with challenges bordering on economic development, economic inequality, administration of justice, violence against women and environmental degradation.
Notwithstanding the challenges, Tinubu, who is the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), however, said the nation has the capacity to overcome its travails.

              The annulled June 12 election

            On June 12, 1993, Nigerians across religious and ethnic divides overwhelmingly         voted for Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as president.

However, as the nation was awaiting the announcement of the results, the military president, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida annulled the election.

Babangida hinged his reason for the action on the court injunction obtained by the Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) led by Chief Arthur Nzeribe.

And as a mark of honour, the APC-led government changed Nigeria’s Democracy Day from May 29 to June 12.   
Tinubu’s message
In a Democracy Day message he personally signed and made available to newsmen, Tinubu urged Nigerians at all levels not to be weak and shy away from the obstacles, and also learn from the courage and compassion of those who came before them.
On CIVID-19, he said: “Government is still hard at work trying to protect the people from the virus and to revive the economy so that we can return the people to their livelihoods and to the road toward prosperity. The battle against the pandemic will ultimately be won. Even then, we still will have much to do.
“We still have challenges regarding economic development, economic inequality, administration of justice, violence against women and environmental degradation. Yet, we have the human capacity to fight and win these battles.
“Democracy is the best avenue to harness and direct our collective abilities in the urgent resolution of these steep challenges. Thus, as we mark this day, let us be thankful to God and let us remember all of those who sacrificed to enable us to advance this far on our democratic journey. Let us also look eagerly ahead to the things we must do and the problems we must solve.
“Let us not be weak and shy away from the obstacles in our path; let us learn from the courage and compassion of those who came before us. As they faced and won the battle of democracy over dictatorship, let us now use that democracy to win the present battle of national prosperity in all of its forms, over poverty in all of its forms. The times we face are not the easiest but we have a destiny to reach and a democratic roadmap on how to get there. Hand in hand, let us get there together.”

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for having the political courage to make June 12 Democracy Day despite opposition from certain quarters.

Tinubu said: “We are recording appreciable progress on the political front. The Executive and Legislature are working harmoniously to deliver the programs and policies required for people to live a better more democratic existence. The courts are doing better in protecting the rights of individual Nigerians. The press is free and robust although, like any nation, we must remain vigilant and do even more to elevate freedom of thought and expression.
“The civil society remains alive and active and holding government accountable to the people. The government too has continued to exhibit tolerance of constructive criticism and demonstrate endurance in a bid to nurture our democracy. A relentless battle is being waged against corruption. This fight would have been impossible or ineffective under a military dictatorship.
“If we look at where we were and where we are now, we have cause to be thankful. We have left dictatorship forever behind. We see new and better ways to define and execute our democratic journey. For example, Youth and Women’s groups that in prior times had no voice or did not even exist. Now they are actively engaged and demanding political participation and a place in democratic decision-making. This is how it should be. Within this new, dynamic and vibrant democratic and civil society lies the hope and promise of a better, more representative government and nation.”

While remembering those who fought for democracy, Tinubu listed the likes of  Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti, late Gani Fawehinmi, Baba Omojola, Pa Rewane, late Pa Enahoro, Baba Ajasin, Pa Adesanya, Baba Adebanjo, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi and Femi Falana among others.”

Atiku’s message

In a similar message, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s presidential candidate in the last general election and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, regretted that after 21 years, politicians were yet to deliver enough dividends of democracy to Nigerians.

He described Democracy Day as an affirmation of Nigerians’ collective struggle towards a system of participatory government and acceptance of the primacy of the rule of law.

 The Wazirin Adamawa said: “Along the line in the struggle which spanned decades, many a compatriot paid the ultimate price. While today may well be a day dedicated to democracy, it is also very well a remembrance day for our fallen heroes of democratic rule.

 “Just like the late Bashorun MKO Abiola continues to be the symbol of the June 12 struggle, there are many others like the late Chief Alfred Rewane; my mentor, Tafida Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola and many more too numerous to mention, who lost their lives in order for us to have  democracy.

.”Yet, there are so many other heroes who remained unsung. They are Nigerians who have fallen victims of bad governance.

 “While we may have a day dedicated to celebrating democracy, it remains saddening that we have not delivered enough dividends of democracy to our people to be happy.

“Between 1999 to the present time, our democracy has thrown up all shades of characters at the leadership levels. Many, if not all of them, have tried their best to deliver good governance to the country. But the result of their efforts, judging by what we have at hand today, clearly shows that our best has not been good enough thus far.

 “It is clear that the problem of leadership is at the epic centre of governance issues that has afflicted Nigeria since the restoration of this democratic dispensation. To get at this problem would require the voting citizens of the country to undertake a more critical evaluation of national leadership recruitment – a rare gift which democracy guarantees through the instrumentality of periodic elections.

“It is when we do that, that democracy can pass as a self-correcting mechanism and when it is denied, we are left with a pseudo-democracy which is counterproductive to the notion of participatory democracy.

 “As we celebrate today, our 21st anniversary of unbroken democratic rule, it is necessary that we canonise the memories of our heroes of democracy by expanding the application of democracy as a mechanism of good governance by making sure that ballots cast during an election are sacrosanct in order for leaders who represent the true aspirations of the people to emerge.”

APC eulogises Buhari

And for declaring June 12 as Democracy Day, the APC described President Muhammadu Buhari a true and genuine patriot.

In a democracy day statement issued in Abuja by its national publicity secretary, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the party said in the annals of the nation’s political trajectory, June 12 would remain a historic day.
“Undoubtedly, the declaration of June 12 as the Nigeria’s Democracy Day by the APC-led Federal Government, has further cemented the credentials of President Muhammadu Buhari as a true and genuine democratic.
“This undisputed fact, which President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has officially recognised as a national holiday, is a testament of our party’s appreciation on the huge significance of the day.
“Going forward, the APC-led government would, in words and actions, continue to promote and consolidate on the gains of democratic governance in the country, with a view to entrenching its finest ideals on our body polity, while calling on all well meaning Nigerians to imbibe this spirit in the overall interest of our beloved country.”

PDP wants electoral reform

Also in a similar message, the PDP called on President Buhari to work towards total electoral reform and put an end to alleged constitutional violations by his administration.

National publicity scribe of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan made the demand in a statement in Abuja.

Ologbondiyan saluted Nigerians for their resilience in protecting democracy despite alleged violations, coercion, and abuse of democratic tenets by the APC-led government.

He said: “Metaphorically, June 12 has also come to represent our quest as a people for credible, free, and fair election as well as a society governed by the rule of law.

“All that June 12 and MKO Abiola constantly remind all of us: Credible electoral process; Respect for rule of law; Regard for constitutional separation of power; Regard for the unity, national cohesion and sensibility of Nigerians; respect for rights of citizens; Freedom of speech and tolerance; A free press; Respect for principle of federal character; Transparency accountability and productivity in governance; Fairness, equity and justice; have been violated by the President Muhammadu Buhari  and the APC. 

 “At the foundation of every genuine democracy is a credible electoral process. Painfully, the Buhari Presidency and the APC have continued to suppress every genuine effort for reforms that will improve our electoral processes.”

He listed some of the alleged infractions under the Buhari administration to include; “electoral malpractices at the highest levels, political intolerance, violence and vicious propaganda, violation of constitutional provisions, total disregard for the principle of federal character and democratic sensibilities of Nigerians and violation of the constitutional principle of separation of powers through brazen invasion, intimidation, coercion and arm-twisting of the judiciary and legislative arms.” 

SDP urges return to June 12 spirit

 In a related development, a faction of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) led by Chief Supo Sonibare has called on Nigeria to return to the path and spirit of June 12.

These, he said, set the benchmark for free and fair elections, and also demonstrated capacity for unity in diversity.

In a statement Thursday marking June 12 as Democratic Day anniversary, Shonibare said the country had digressed from the path of building on the credibility of that process, to a polity characterised by massive electoral malpractices, allegations of involvement of security agencies in supporting candidates, and curious judicial electoral victories.

Signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary,  Mr. Alfa Mohammed, the statement quoted the SDP boss as saying that the country had also departed from the federal structure bequeathed to it and strayed towards a unitary structure, calling for a collective resolve to stand up to be counted to prevent the collapse of the Nigerian project.

 “As we celebrate Democracy Day today, we  must remember our founding fathers – Mr. Ernest Ikoli, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Malam Aminu Kano, Mr. Joseph Tarka, Dr. Michael Okpara, Dr. Denis Osadebe and so many other leaders, who all worked to usher in a democratic, federal, independent nation.  

 “Our country travelled along the path of entrenching an independent democratic culture for a short period of six years, but when the First Republic was abruptly terminated, the nation departed from the covenant that we would be united in a diverse, democratic federal entity without the central power dominating and taking over any constituent part.

 “This same tendency to dominate was re-enacted in the Second Republic, where , anti-democratic tools were used to subvert the electoral process, which is the only tool available for a democratic culture to determine its leadership.  The blatant manipulation of the electoral process tainted the credibility of the results.”

URNI

In the same vein, a group, Unveiling and Rebranding Nigeria Initiative (URNI) said at 60, there was need for Nigeria to get its act together and joined comity of nations.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Board of Trustees, Hassan Ardo Tukur, to commemorate 2020 Democracy Day, the group noted that by “1st of October this year, our compatriots will be celebrating 60 years of our nationhood”. 

“Indeed, we’ve come a long way together and this period offers us an opportunity to reflect on the journey so far — the challenges that we have faced (and are still facing) and the opportunities that stare us in the face, URNI added.” 

The group added that “It has been said that great men plant trees whose shade they know that they wouldn’t seat under and as we may have heard the saying that, the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago (or even 60, as in our case), but the next best time is now.

“We will need to get our acts together and join the league of nations who are on the forward march. That’s what we deserve.”

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