Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Former Vice President has observed that the opportunism of some Nigerian politicians contributed to the destruction of democracy in the country, noting that most of those who aided and abetted late dictator, General Abacha’s self-succession agenda were politicians.
In a statement he issued Friday to
mark Democracy Day, he posited that there is no doubt that the historic June 12
election of 1993 is a dark chapter in Nigeria’s chequered political history.
However, he noted that the nation
should not lose the lessons as it built Nigeria’s democracy to greater heights.
He said: “On the occasion of 2021
Democracy Day, I’m proud to join Nigerians in the celebration of this important
day in our recent political history not only because I was part of those
challenging moments, but also because of my unshaken belief in democracy.
“Although the annulment of MKO
Abiola’s election was a major setback, my consolation is that it made Nigerians
more united to resist dictatorship and entrench democracy.
“The illegal cancellation of the
results of the 1993 presidential election was not a personal loss to Abiola,
but a loss to Nigeria and its democracy.
“Abiola, whom I stepped down for in
the 1993 primary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Jos, was a good man,
and his only primary reason for joining the race was to offer selfless service
to the ordinary Nigerians. I was deeply pained by the circumstances in which he
was arrested and eventually died in the government’s custody. Such gross
injustice was unspeakably cruel.
“Sadly, the opportunism of some
Nigerian politicians had contributed to the destruction of democracy, most of
those who aided and abetted General Abacha’s self-succession agenda were
politicians.
“The most important lesson on June
12 is that we should be united in the defense of democracy and resist the
divide and rule tactics of the enemies of democracy.”
