June 12: Our democracy in bondage, says Atiku

Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president of Nigeria and the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 election, has claimed that the country’s democracy is still held captive despite the end of the military regime in 1999.

A return to civil rule rather than democracy is what the nation is currently enjoying, as the former vice president noted.

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the presidential election of June 12, 1993, which Bashorun Moshood Abiola won but was later declared invalid by the military junta led by General Ibrahim Babangida (ret. ), Atiku wrote this on his Facebook timeline on that day.

“As I congratulate Nigerians on this day and the restoration of civil rule, I draw their attention to the fact that democracy in Nigeria is still captive and will require our combined efforts to free it.

“On this occasion of Democracy Day, it is important for us to consider our progress towards achieving a democratic society as a people and as a nation.

“It is crucial that we recognise our accomplishments in making democracy the rule in Nigerian politics for Nigerians who lived through the dark era of military dictatorships.

“But democracy without a corresponding commitment to the principles of fairness and fidelity to the rule of play by stakeholders in conducting elections still leaves the people prostrate to dictatorship tendencies,” he said, even as he took a shot at those he accused of abusing their privileged position in the country’s political leadership to influence electoral outcomes.

“In order for our democracy to be fully functional, it must constantly move away from the current practise of having the ruling class decide which candidates win elections.

“I am even more convinced that there is still a lot of work to be done when I regularly reflect on the activism that gave rise to the current democratic dispensation.

Democracy and the democratisation process are ongoing projects. While the restoration of civil rule in Nigeria is what we are celebrating today, the goal of all democratic participants is to make our democracy self-sustaining and unaffected by anti-democratic forces.

“Achieving civil rule will require a collective effort and commitment, and advancing democracy and our democratisation process will necessitate a parallel commitment.

“What we choose to do or not do today will have a significant impact on the challenge we face and the future of our democracy.

“Our dedication to the cause of democracy must be unwavering if we are to succeed in this lofty goal.

“People on the other side, those who are opposed to democracy, are not taking it easy. We must exert more effort to defeat them, he continued.