Buhari’s govt worst in destroying democratic culture —Ezekwesili

A former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili has rated President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, as the worst in destroying the culture of debate in a democratic government.

Ezekwesili, who was reacting to the continuous detention of the ‘Revolution Now’ convener, Omoyele Sowore, said regardless of government’s action, the culture of democracy based on debate would prevail at the end.

She also decried the alleged persecution of a journalist based in Cross River, Agba Jalingo, by the state government, describing the actions of the government as pathetic and tragic.

Ezekwesili stated this in series of tweets on her verified Twitter handle on Wednesday.

She wrote: “There is something known as the culture of debate in every democracy. The worst government so far in destroying it is that of @NGRPresident @MBuhari and those that work for him including their fan club members on social media.

“For them, to disagree is instant conflict.

·”For these extremely intolerant bunch of people that assume being in power gives them absolute ownership of the country and its public space, people like me must stare them down to know that no such attitude is permitted.

“I shall never be silent to Bad Governance. Impossicant.

“Every day, they roam the internet as a herd of trolls looking for where my opinion is reported and they start pissing wildly. You see it most on my @Twitter timeline.

“What kind of offensive intolerant culture of democracy is this? You won’t win. You are fighting a lost cause.

“If @obyezeks tweets, ‘Good Morning’, the herd of trolls will land on my timeline & boom, you’ll start reading: ‘Good morning? Nonsense. Why Good morning? The President and government says ‘it is good afternoon’. ‘You hate Buhari. You are bitter. You are negative.’

“Haba, menini?

“The culture of democracy must develop among us. The voice of a citizen is entirely theirs: They can choose to praise or criticize government depending on what personally appeals to them.

“I choose to be an objective assessor of governance. Praise what’s Right & Lampoon Wrong.

“The thought that by viciously maligning, assaulting, attacking, lying against me and distorting my Opinions, you will get me to be silent is extremely wishful thinking.

READ ALSO: Bayelsa accuses FG of illegally deducting N450bn from its monthly allocations

“Bring it on, folks. Our culture of democracy will prevail.

“You cannot win against this. Mark my word.

“Even as Femi Falana and team continue to work at securing @YeleSowore‘s freedom from Unjust Detention by our intolerant Fed government, we also discussed what a Governor of Cross River State that went into Politics as an Academic is doing to journalist Agba. Pathetic. Tragic.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now