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For the Sake of
Democracy in Seasons of Anomie
LOVERS of freedom will ever cherish
democracy even if it is a product of a
flawed of election. At least, aggrieved
persons have the chance to contest their
defeat in the court of appropriate
jurisdiction. Indeed, it is the beauty
of democracy that brought Rotimi Ameachi
of Rivers State, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo
State, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State and
Peter Obi to power after they had been
adjudged to have lost the struggle for
power. It is the beauty of democracy
that made PDP to congratulate Peter Obi
of APGA after defeat of Prof. Soludo of
the ruling party. Democracy empowers the
weak to free themselves from those who
control the lever of power.
In India where the military has never
intervened in democratic governance
despite contradictions that are shrouded
in ethnic diversities and religious
differences, one of the nationalists
that served as its first Prime Minister,
Jawararlal Nehru once told fellow
citizens that “democracy is good. I say
this because other systems are worse.”
Indeed, totalitarianism as witnessed
under military regime in Nigeria for 35
years was more reprehensible and
intolerable than the worst form of
democracy. It was exploitation and naked
kleptomania without redress. It was
thiefry with impunity. It was aberrative
and unaccountable. Under democracy, even
as the trial of ex-governors who were
alleged to have looted the treasuries of
their states was put on hold by legal
technicalities, the rule of law made it
possible for anti-graft agencies to
parade them in courts. Even if they are
not jailed at the end of the day, the
court of public opinion as expressed
through the instrumentality of mass
media, has perpetually put them in the
circle of odium and disrepute. It is
better imagined than having the stories
told when one goes on memory lane to
take stock of pro-democracy activists
that were either killed or maimed before
a new dawn in 1999. Nobody wish to have
that dark era again. It is better to
accept the tutorials of nascent
democracy, no matter the grave pitfalls.
This is what speaker Oladimeji Bankole
has been gingering his colleagues to
appreciate in the course of their
debate.
Harry Emerson, a political philosopher
once made a submission saying “democracy
is based upon the conviction that there
are extra-ordinary possibilities in the
ordinary people.” Left for other forms
of government, what would have brought
out some sons of peasant to the extent
of being legislators, Governors,
Ministers, Presidents and Vice
Presidents? Luck alone wouldn’t have
brought Goodluck Jonathan from the
creeks of Bayelsa to be Acting
President. Democracy and the will to
work hard towards a goal shared by
democrats performed that feat. Yet,
pro-democracy activists were not direct
beneficiaries of fruits of democracy but
they worked for common good.
The signals from neighbouring countries
vis-à-vis the season of mistrust in
Nigeria in the recent time has put
patriots in a lurch. Nigeria is not
operating a feudal system where the
activities of the monarch are shrouded
in mysteries at the whims and caprices
of palace chiefs. When there are warning
signals in a season of uncertainty, a
fear-stricken nation learns from the
lessons of her neighbours. In West
Africa, so far, Ghana is the only
country where the nationals seemed to
have resolved that the democratic
journey towards attainment of perfection
is irreversible. It conducted a free and
fair election where the candidate of the
then sitting president lost. The
international community as witnessed by
the visit of President Barack Obama,
affirmed the enviable democratic culture
and its attendant results in Ghana where
coups and counter coups were once upon a
time, a recurrent decimal. Within a
short time when democratic nations began
to organize banquet in appreciation of a
semblance of democracy in majority of
African nations, two countries have come
under totalitarian regimes, an
unapologetic feature of the dictatorship
of the military. In what was akin to
third tenure saga under Obasanjo’s
tenure, former President of Niger
Republic, Mamoudu Tadjan, breached the
constitution of his country and embarked
on the wild goose chase of conducting
referendum for third tenure. The
military led by Major Adamu Haruna
seized an opportunity they have been
waiting for. They oust Tadjan out of
power and formed Supreme Council for
Restoration of Democracy, a situation
where the legislative and executive arms
are in mixed grill at the whims and
caprices of the military jaunta. Indeed,
this was a dangerous signal from a
Nigerian neighbour which even enjoys
electricity supply from a country that
has the worst energy crisis on the
globe. All the officers involved in the
coup were trained in Nigeria Defence
Academy. In Guinea, Camara-led coup had
tied down democracy. The resolve of the
people to protest against military
insurgence brought about killing of
protesters. Violence begets violence.
Camara was shot by his own Aide De Camp
(ADC).
In Nigeria, no one can conveniently and
convincingly assert that there is
permanent armour against military coup.
The anti-dote against military
intervention is good governance premised
on transparency. Since the ill-health of
President Yar’Adua and consequent
absence for 93 days, there has been
national anxiety. The Minister of
Information and Communication, Prof.
Dora Akunyili has also admitted that
Nigeria is not out of wood because of
persistent political logjam. Most of the
decisions that were taken including the
resolutions of National Assembly
premised on doctrine of necessity were
intended to strengthen democracy and
preclude military adventurists from
benefiting from national adversity.
Nigerians accepted Goodluck Jonathan as
Acting President because that was the
nearest solution to the seemingly
irredeemable logjam shrouded in
hide-and-seek game.
So far, Jonathan has proved that he is
loyal to his principal in good and bad
times. Yet, he has no to access to the
president even as he was brought back
from Saudi Arabia under cloudy
circumstance. Nobody has ever worked as
a superior of the Acting President and
accused him of disloyalty and inordinate
ambition. Up till today, the Acting
President calls the former Bayelsa State
Governor, DSP Alamieseigha who stepped
on the proverbial banana peel and fell,
as his legendary boss. The Acting
President was said to be behind the plea
bargain that gave Alamieseigha air of
freedom.
For the sake of beefing up democracy in
a country that has a culture of
political instability, if his principal
was airborne from Saudi Arabia after 93
days of absence which was shrouded in
political logjam, he ought to be
informed to make the statecraft
receptive to his arrival. Whoever
mobilized troops to the Airport and
Strategic locations without the
knowledge of the Acting President should
know that the doctrine of necessity
conferred the status of the
commander-in-chief of the armed forces
on Jonathan until the president writes
to National Assembly that he is well
enough to resume presidential
responsibilities. I guessed that when
the Acting President was told at the
early hours on the fateful day of the
president’s return that there were armed
soldiers in strategic locations, his
mind must have been restless on the
possible consequences of such security
breach. To make the matter worse
unverified, sources close to the Acting
President averred that all the telephone
lines Defence Chiefs were temporarily
put off. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.
General Abdulrahaman Dambazau has not
attracted positive publicity in the
media since the airport saga. He was
pushed to the corner of defending
himself in manner that raised more
questions than answers. Nothing has
changed the status of the Acting
President before and after the Airport
saga.
The American Embassy has to come out
forcefully without diplomatic veil to
warn the presidential aides against
causing unnecessary tension in the
polity. Nigeria had had enough tension
since the president left the country and
come back. Nigerians love their
president because he took some bold
populist steps to the extent of
offending the sensibility of his
godfather and predecessor, Chief
Obasanjo. He is the custodian of our
destiny. Transparency, a vital
ingredient of democracy, enjoins us, at
least, the leadership of National
Assembly, the Ministers, Governors,
Chief Judge and the Acting President to
have access to our standard bearer, the
president. Those who claim to be closer
to the president than others, should not
allow the empathy of Nigerians who
prayed and fasted on his behalf to
diminish because of unwarranted power
game using inaccessibility as a weapon.
It was matter of respite when a press
statement was issued reaffirming Acting
President status of Dr. Jonathan.
Nigerians expect that in the struggle
for power, we should lay bare some
indices that strengthen democracy. Under
democratic culture, sovereignty belongs
to the people. They deserved to know the
recovery level of their president so
that they can prepare for greater
democratic challenges. This is a season
that all patriots must rise to the
challenge of protecting democratic
institutions rather than looking for
scapegoats of power game.
For the sake of democracy and the
sustainenance of an open society, our
dear president is entitled to all the
privileges of a sitting president. It
would not do any one anything good if he
is shielded from the cabinet, the media
and Nigerians who have the right to know
about the well being of the custodian of
their collective destiny. Mistakes are
meant to be corrected. No mistake should
be strong enough to increase our
predicament. Democracy is not absence of
crisis but ability to resolve
differences when the need arises.

Goodluck
Jonathan, Acting President
CRUMB
More Carrots for
Youths
MONUMENTS are built on the streets but
legacies are built in people’s hearts.
Indeed, that is why Chief Obafemi
Awolowo is still being celebrated by
those he touched their lives when he was
premier of Western Region. Alhaji
Ibrahim Idris also wish to built
legacies in people’s hearts.
Among other things the governor has been
doing in the Confluence State, is the
perchant to place human resource
development on higher pedestal. The
youths form the most productive segment.
Just as I wrote last week that several
youths are aides of the Governor, others
are being appointed as a means of
appreciating to appreciate their talents
and resourcefulness.
Mr. Egene Samson, (Alisa SOSO) is a
multi-talented artiste in area of
motivational talk-show. He is also a
gospel singer as well as an example of
youths who effect changes through
peaceful means. He recently came to my
desk at The Graphic over his appointment
as Special Assistant to the Governor. In
his usual poetic style in playing up
comedy shrouded in issues. He said, “I
have become honourable man but I will
not be horrible with what God has given
me. Out of this gift, I shall give 20
per to God. Fellow human beings shall
share 20 per cent of my income and 60
per cent shall be for me.”
While thanking Governor Idris for what
he had done for him, he acknowledges
that the heart of a king is in God’s
hands. My friend Austin Ochu, a renowned
broadcaster, a new Senior Special
Assistant to the Governor, has similar
banquet of appreciation for the State
Chief Executive. It could be another
man’s turn tomorrow. Let us felicitate
with this lucky youths.
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