I laid solid foundation for current democracy, says Abdulsalami Abubakar

Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar feels proud for being the one who handed over power to a democratically elected government on May 29, 1999, giving birth to the current democracy.

Speaking at a book launch on 100 years of political parties in Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday, January 30, the former Nigerian leader said he is happy to have laid a solid foundation for democracy in Nigeria.

Represented by Gen Abdulrasheed Aliyu, the former Head of State however acknowledge the fact that the current democratic rule in the country has been tested and shaken by reactionary forces and survived, saying there was no alternative to democratic rule.

He said that the fact that democracy has survived in Nigeria for the past 26 years is a testament to citizen’s belief and resilience in representative governance.

He said “despite military interventions, democracy has come to stay in Nigeria. There is no substitute to the government of the people, by the people and for the people, which democracy represents as sovereignty resides with the people.

“This year will also make it 26 years of unbroken democracy in Nigeria, the longest period of constitutional governance since 1st October 1960, when the country got Independence from the British colonial masters.

“I am happy that my government, as the then military Head of State ushered in this era of democracy when I handed over power to the elected President on 29th May 1999. My government laid this solid foundation for democratic governance.

“It also shows that when leaders are patriotic, passionate, resolute and unwavering in building strong democratic structures and institutions, democracy could flourish and yield its dividends to citizens.

“”We should therefore keep watering and nurturing the tree of democracy as there is no alternative to civil rule. Our democracy has been tested and shaken by reactionary forces and survived. It is a testament to citizen’s belief and resilience in representative governance.

“It has become expedient to explore political parties’ development priorities so as to consolidate the nation’s democracy and ensure an environment conducive for successful elections and political stability which is in tandem with the IPAC mandate.

“We have all learned a lot in this longest period of democracy in Nigeria, as we continue the ongoing Constitution and Electoral Act Amendments to correct obvious flaws in the electoral process and imbibe democratic ideals, ethics and values, the nation will yet again witness sustainable democracy and development.

“Since knowledge is power, I have no doubt that we will all be enriched with this book and deliberations on it and chart the way forward in our political process”.

He called for the reconsideration past practices in party democracy which are currently being downplayed by political players, including supremacy of the party leadership, adherence to party manifestos and formation of party and membership based on ideology.

By Tony Akowe