Issues Abattoir is ceasing the opportunity of this episode and edition to appreciate its regular readers and contributors who keep the pen flowing even at such moment when it was hard to dissects and understand the rhythms of the country’s music that plays without possible national destination rather selfish gains.
The English dictionary defines ‘dictatorship’ as “a type of government where absolute sovereignty is allotted to an individual or small clique. The dictionary equally defines it as “government which exercise autocratic rule”.
Nigeria is Sixteen (16) years, and it is five (5) months into the practices of democracy of the 16 th year led by Mohammadu Buhari .Olusegun Obasanjo took the first eight years, with late Musa Yar’adua led the government in less than 2 years before his final home call, while former President Goodluck Jonathan completed the late Yar’adua’s tenure and later stepped in to complete the administration’s second term, though Muhammadu Buhari is just five (5) months old on the throne of leadership saddle with various responsibilities, there are possible indices for comparison.
Democracy, though with numerous definitions has one primarily universal definition as the “government of the people, by the people and for the people”. The English Dictionary however defines “Democracy” as the rule by the people, especially as a form of government either directly or through elected representatives”.
Nigerians in 1993 ventured into that green age of democracy but was sharply truncated by then military head of states, leaving the country in a state of quagmire, through act of dictatorship, a seeming display by current administration.
Five (5) years later, Nigerians resolved to return to democratic rule again, to cushion the effect of the sudden exit of Chief Mushood Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the 1993 presidential election. That resolution ushered in the formation and registration of political parties which without delay commenced political activities that witnessed the presidential and gubernatorial elections in April 1999. While the official oath taking and swearing-in of President Olusegun Obasanjo and the 36 States governors was held on the May 29th, 1999. It was at this backdrop that every May 29th was declared “Democrac day” in Nigeria following the enthronement of democratic rule.
Sixteen (16) years in records time, is Nigeria evolving for anything good, democratizing or dwindling, or still in the era of dictatorship? This is what Issues Abattoir intends to look into following the activities of present government in power since May 29th, 2015. Where is democracy found in its operations and where is dictatorship personified in the five (5) months administration?
To some Nigeria is presently practicing Buharianism, authoritarianism and selfishism. Others believe it is practicing political witch hunting while another group singles militarization and sadism as sole purpose of the APC led federal government captained by the 72 year old ex-general. At various levels, the APC supporters were either seen or heard with the echo of one evil thing or another affirming that Buhari has promised perfecting such. Is this the change?
The much noise made by the incumbent president and his fans before the May 29th swearing-in day would have suggested that something good or yet still that, they were ready for anything beneficial to the multi-million citizens of Nigeria. But the reverse is the obvious, as nothing is yet happening in an administration of 5 months.
Observers from certain quarters had accused President Buhari of running similar government like Obasanjo. It would be recalled that Obasanjo’s anti-corruption graft or law were used to witch hunt those opposed to him or instrumental to his very critical moment in detention .
But to those ignorant citizens, Obasanjo could be tailoring the incumbent President on how to replicate or as well avenge his failed third term antics in the present circumstance.
Without gain saying, former President Obasanjo had publicly dumped the PDP, purportedly claimed to continue his life without being partisan, however he is judged to be member of the APC. Therefore, if he is one of the APC, how then could one expect the incumbent president to do anything without the input of the former general turned civilian president when both are former generals?
In the present circumstance, it is viewed that ex-president Obasanjo is always associating with Buhari’s purported programme, as he would always comment in the affirmative on every Buhari’s statement. From the foregoing, the incumbent president’s tactics in governance as synonymous with Obasanjo’s initial governance style could not serve as surprise to those abreast with their antics or happenings in present day Nigeria.
While the administration of ex-president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR and his immediate predecessor late Alhaji Musa Yar’adua were geared towards restructuring Nigeria, they did not witch hunt any one rather focused on blocking any identified areas of leakages were corruption seems to have thrived.
Within these five months of the incumbent administration led by Mohammadu Buhari, it is indeed evidently cleared that it is “not all those who say Lord, Lord will enter into heaven”. Nigerians are crying wolf, questioning when will the likes of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Musa Yar’adua irrespective of any lapses, return to the seat of power in the country? If in just five months, Nigerians and indeed APC supporters who claimed to usher in change complains of inability, lack of focus as well as tribalism occasioned on slow pace of everything, then what happens in the next three (3) years and seven (7) months.
Nigerians are not forgetting that the APC had raised alarm over their president’s single handedly nominated his ministers, thereby held the nation on a slow motion. The APC had equally raised alarm over certain appointments made by the president from the core Northern states with no consideration to the West and East, not to mention South-South the supposed taboo region to the current administration.
Judging from the happenings in the polity, one would be forced to question, what type of system is Nigeria operating, Dictatorship-authoritarianism or Democracy?
In the appointment of Service Chiefs and some other principle appointments made by President Buhari, there seems to be misgivings even by his APC caucus who registered their grievances of not being carried along by the president – autocracy. Remember, this is the man they branded as the change mantra of the APC.
The nomination of ministerial nominees can also not depict change as those selected are not only known figures but have their respective stories, which ordinary would not grant them such speedily screening as well as confirmation.
During the Dr. Jonathan’s led federal government, the Senate did not only denied but refused screening of certain nominees because of some obvious reasons. At that point ex-president Jonathan did not force, insist, interfere or pressurize the Senate for their confirmation as seen to have been done in the current administration.
The election petition tribunals sitting across the federation is without gain saying taking the nation into an obvious state of oblivion resulting from an impending catastrophe as many cases were handled with what may be described as relaying the presidency script to the public.
A petition against Lagos State Governor, Ambode was dismissed in favour of the governor over manual accreditation while the same issue was used against Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike – Dictatorship.
It would be recalled that the same election that produced governor Wike, equally produced the 32 State Assembly members including the Eleme State Constituency, but it was crystal clear while the governors and others were purportedly annulled while Eleme constituency was upheld by the State Assembly election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja – favouritism.
The questions on the lips of Nigerians are so many, can president Buhari exonerate self from the level of accusation flying the air waves over these tribunal cases? Can the president or his fans mention a case during the Jonathan era where such injustice were seen to have been done or was done?
Nigerians wants democracy deepens in the country other than dictatorship, and sponsorship of crisis seeming events.
If Nigeria is not in the military regime, it then signifies that dictatorship should not be part of its operations, rather democracy. But if anything is short of democracy what Nigeria would have is Buharianism, a complete defiant situation form expectations of the electorates.
With James Mgboineme
jamesthenewswriter@gmail.com.
