Interim government plan not good for democracy
It has for some days been discussed in hushed tones, at best likened to a conjecture, something unreal that deserves no attention but all of that changed last week Thursday when the Department of the State Security Services (DSS) through its Spokesman, Peter Afunanya, according to several media reports, disclosed that there was indeed fire on the mountain.
The DSS while giving credence to what was once regarded as rumour, said it has confirmed the plot for interim government by some misguided political actors, describing the move as nothing but a mischievous way to upturn the constitution and thus enthroned illegality which is totally unacceptable.
The secret police without mincing words condemned this illegality saying that it was even painful the evil machination was coming on the heels of a very successful and peaceful conduct of the presidential and governorship elections in the country which has equally produced winners as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) the body saddled with conduct of elections in the country.
The DSS went further to say that these key unpatriotic and self serving politicians had decided to secure many frivolous court injunctions while also organising series of violent protests all in a bit to frustrate and halt the inauguration of the new government of the federation which is to be headed by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President-elect on May 29, 2023.
The secret services had sternly warned media practitioners, members of civil societies organisations and other stakeholders not to be part of any thing that could support this unconstitutional act as anyone found guilty would be seriously dealt with in line with the law of the land.
What is however puzzling is why anyone would be planning to drag the nation back with the call for interim government which is alien to our constitution. The interim government is another aberration brought about by the insensitive and cruel military when running their shameful show in the country. It’s no type of government anywhere in the world.
It was a government that lacked legitimacy, an arrangement like a placeholder which Gen Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.) introduced when he reluctantly left office having ruled the country for eight years. The populace had turned the heat on him for his refusal to return the country to democratic rule as he had promised severally and one day in August of 1993, he disclosed that he was stepping aside.
Babangida had left the drifting ship of the country in the hands of Late Earnest Shonekan, a civilian who was after six months sent packing by the military government of Late Gen. Sanni Abacha.
Abacha had refused to return the country back to the civilian rule after many failed promises and had sent many dissenting voices and those calling for return to democracy to either exile or early grave. While people like Pa Alfred Rewane, Kudirat Abiola, wife of Late MKO Abiola paid the supreme price, many like Prof Wole Soyinka, the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, Dele Momodu and many more had been lucky to find their way out of the country and never returned until the sudden death of Abacha in I997.
The call for the interim government is nothing but height of coup d’etat against the country and sad reminder of the dark days of the military to which the country owes many of its socio-economic and political challenges.
The presidential election was conducted on Saturday, February 25 with the INEC declaring the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu winner having polled 8,794,726 votes to defeat fellow contenders – Atiku Abubakar of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 6,984,520 votes, Labour Party’s Peter Obi with 6,101,533 votes to come third while the candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) Rabiu Kwankwaso got 1,496,687 votes.
As the Constitution dictated, INEC had equally presented the Certificate of return to the President-elect, Tinubu and his Vice, Sen. Kashim Shettima and are only waiting for May 29 when President Muammadu Buhari would finish his eight years tenure and give the baton to them.
The position of the law remains that if you are not satisfied with the outcome of an election, once the INEC pronounces winner, the alternative is to approach the court to vent your displeasure, anything outside this is nothing but criminal and the law won’t take such affront with levity.
The democracy we currently enjoy wasn’t served on a platter of gold, it came with so much sufferings, deprivation and even with some people paying dearly with their lives, this is the reason why nobody should join any of these undeserving politicians to thwart the democratic process.
The country’s security agencies should not lie low and allow a fraction of these selfish politicians to return us to those dark days of the military that are better forgotten given the drawback and havoc their incursion into governance had caused the country.
Now is the time for all of us to stand up against enthronement of any act of illegality that run contrary to the spirit of the law of our constitution. We can’t afford to allow anyone to destroy this growing democracy no matter the slow pace. The Yoruba proverb saying that beheading one’s head is not the way out of bout of headache is still very apt here. If anyone feels aggrieved about the last presidential election results, let such tow the path of the law, that is the international best practice. Enough of behaving like a bull in Chinaware! This is not Animal Farm please!
