Apart from the staggered republics which dated back between 60’s and 80’s, the Nigeria’s democratic process witnessed a historical dimension in the year 1993.On June 12 of this year, the country’s electoral body – National Electoral Commission (NEC) conducted the widely adjudged freest and fairest presidential election in the annals of Nigeria’s general polls.
Despite being held peacefully across the country, the final result of the exercise was ‘stillborn’ as the then “self-styled” Military President, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida ordered the annulment of the poll, presumed to have been won by the late business mogul and philanthropist, Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola.
The cancellation threw up a fierce, bloody and lingering nationwide restiveness. The ravaging struggle to re-claim late Abiola’s mandate frustrated the gap-toothed retired General, as he hurriedly vacated the seat of power and subsequently announced the late Chief Ernest Sonekan’s Interim National Government (ING). The ING was then installed and designed by the Military cabal to be short-lived as the late industrialist and boardroom ‘tiger’s tenure barely lasted for three months, when it was ousted by late Gen. Sanni Abacha-led military junta!
The struggle to re-claim late Abiola “stolen mandate” lingered. Frustrated but filled with audacity, the presumed winner of the election later, in the same year (1993) in Epetedo area of Lagos Island, declared himself as the winner of June 12 presidential election and substantive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces!
The announcement expectedly provoked another round of political rumpus and fresh constitutional debate. On the part of the sitting military dictator, the move was an affront; hence, the taciturn late Abacha ordered the immediate arrest of Chief MKO Abiola and his subsequent incarceration. While being held in the cell, several attempts were made to make Abiola jettison the mandate, but failed. Eventually, the late Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential flag bearer died around April 1998, due to circumstances yet to be unraveled till date!
In 1999, when Nigeria was about to usher in another republic, the agitation for the presidential candidate to come from the South Western part of the country was deafening. Of course, that was expected as it remained the most effective political move to calm nerves among the Yorubas and douse tension in the country.
Then, the two prominent political parties, namely: the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) fielded Chief Olu Falae and Gen. (rtd) Olusegun Obasanjo, also a former Head of State respectively as their presidential candidates.
Obasanjo was declared the winner of that election and was subsequently sworn-in on May 29, 1999, as the fourth democratically elected President of Nigeria. This marked the origin of the historical date, to be set aside as the country’s Democracy day.
However, appreciating the fact that the history of the 19-year old (then) uninterrupted democratic experience in Nigeria is incomplete, without mentioning Abiola’s name and the election he won, incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari called for a constitutional amendment, to the effect that the Democracy day should be shifted from May 29 to June 12 of every year. Since June 2018, Nigeria has been marking her representative government day on this significant date.
This year, Nigeria marked and celebrated 23 years of her steady, but still developing democracy. The significant question is: ‘Is there or are there anything to celebrate in our democratic process and experience?’
The answer is yes and no! Painfully, the first 16 out of 23 years featured administrations reputed for corruption, financial recklessness and impunity! All of these, no doubt, affected the economic growth, infrastructural and institutional development in the country.
The political ‘rascality’ ravaged up until May 29, 2015 when President Buhari’s predecessor, Dr Good luck Ebele Jonathan exited from power.
Buhari’s electioneering campaign was etched on a tripod promise. This included: war against corruption; battle to rest insurgency and putting the economy on a right track.
Has Buhari’s administration lived up to its electoral promises? The answer again, is mixed. On corruption; Nigerians have witnessed the arrest, prosecution and conviction of high-profile personalities. But the snag in the anti-corruption war by this government is failure to deal with certain ‘untouchable’.
For instance, former President Jonathan was once subpoenaed by court, in connection with the former National Security Adviser, Col. (rtd) Sambo Dasuki $2bn ammunition scandal trial, but till date, failed to honour the invitation! Curiously, Jonathan is an ally of Buhari. Again, despite a few cases being decided, several have been dragged in various courts of law. Dasuki and a former publicist of the opposition PDP, Olisa Metuh on the ammunition gate readily come to mind here.
Again, the recent amnesty granted Jolly Nyame and Joshua Dariye, both former Governors of Taraba and Plateau States respectively by the Council of State, headed by President Buhari puts a question mark to the anti-corruption crusade of the present administration.
Apart from this, there are allegations of many delayed, unreported or under-reported cases of corruption. A good example here is the alleged N80bn fraud allegation leveled against the suspended Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) Ahmed Idris. Surprisingly, the relieved AGF has been in the saddle since 2015! The question again being asked by many is: Why did it take the government this long to unmask the alleged huge scandal?
On economy, the present administration’s scorecard looks fairly good. To its credit, from the inception till date, the Buhari-led Federal Government (FG) had initiated and implemented various social intervention schemes such as: N-Power; Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) to the vulnerable; Home Grown School Feeding and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) and various Agricultural programmes).
The above is apart from development and transformation of so many national capital intensive projects which have been abandoned, neglected or suspended for no saner reason by previous administrations. The train project; new completion of Lagos-Ibadan expressway and second Niger bridge among others are good examples in this regard.
However, the security aspect of President Buhari’s administration remains the most disturbing and challenging. It is not disputable that the Boko Haram terrorists have before the inception of the present government started a parallel republic, having taken over and held sway in not less than 17 local government areas of about three or four North Eastern States!
Buhari’s government however had since got the credit of decimating and displacing the insurgents from the formerly pre-occupied territories. Still, the challenge of insecurity today in Nigeria is hydra-headed and looks like an unstoppable and tormenting monster! To say Nigeria is under siege today, as far as insecurity is concerned is to say the least!
The news about suspected gunmen and ritual killings; kidnapping; explosions, raping and other heart-rending security news dominate our traditional news platforms, as well as the new media space! The latest of bloodletting was the attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, South Western Nigeria on Sunday, June 5, 2022. No fewer than 40 worshippers, young and old were feared dead, when the evil men entered the Church and opened fire on their targets that fateful day. After the Owo massacre, there have been several other cases of abduction and killing in different parts of the country.
What’s the way out of this quagmire? President Buhari has admitted minus in the security aspect of his government. To add up to the administration’s previous efforts, the President in his national broadcast to mark this year’s Democracy day said the FG has embarked on reforms of security structures of the country. He revealed that the defence assets procured three years ago have arrived in the country, while cyber security and surveillance systems are being upgraded “to further enhance government’s ability” to track and trace criminal elements in various parts of the country.
This is good to hear, talking about the resolve of a government to nip the insecurity challenges in the bud. But beyond this, one major challenge with Nigeria’s security system is totally lacking in apt, accurate and genuine pre-emptive intelligence gathering and response. It is sad at this age that we wait until the attack is launched before taking action or begin to track the criminals. This won’t solve our insecurity problem both in short and long terms.
Finally, Buhari’s administration should intensify efforts to stem the security anxiety. The successive governments should learn from the lapses of their predecessors. This is imperative as security and economics are connected to each other. There is no economic policy, no matter how viable it appears, that would thrive in the face of insecurity. Foreign investment won’t come as expected when there’s a security flaw. These are the reasons why the government must be focused and remain unrelenting. When we are able to check the insecurity impasse, the economy will boom and there will be peace in the land. Then, when next we mark the country’s Democracy day, we shall roll out the drums and celebrate with pomp and pageantry.
Balogun is the Deputy Editor, The Eagleonline newspaper; E-mail: tjaysuccess10@gmail.com