Nigeria now a prison-yard democracy, Gov Tambuwal laments

Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal on Tuesday suggested that what currently obtains in Nigeria under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government is a “prison-yard democracy”.

Tambuwal who stated this in an unsigned statement, but confirmed by his media aide, Abubakar Shekara, also called on the citizens to resist it.

The governor was responding to the development in Benue State on Monday were eight out of 30 members of the state House of Assembly served an impeachment notice on the state Governor Samuel Ortom.

Other issues the Sokoto governor was reacting to included the attacks on the national legislature, and perceived ignoble meddlesomeness, rascality and high-handedness of some security agencies against democratic institutions in the country recently.

“Nigerians must, in strong terms, say no to prison-yard democracy, where the rights of the citizenry are shackled to the caprices of a few, as if we now run a nation of helpless inmates. If the people of Nigeria are so unfortunate to endure the growling nightmare occasioned by deprivation of most things that a democracy should ordinarily provide; If they are now accustomed to the pangs of hunger, unemployment, shabby infrastructure, poor healthcare and general hopelessness, they should, in the interest of democracy and the youths, stand against anything that has the potential of robbing them of their inalienable rights to live and make choices as free citizens.

“These are unfortunate incidents, an aberration, a reprehensible attack on the fundamental human rights and privileges of fellow Nigerians and a direct attack on our fledgling democracy. We should condemn this crass and impudent exhibition of uncivilized conduct, so that we can keep peace and maintain a civilized society.

“Democracy is about freedom, of choice and association. It is about the people and the supremacy of the will of the people. Democracy, loses its essential value when the overall interest of the people takes a back seat in any supposedly democratic setting”, Tambuwal said.

READ ALSO: IMPEACHMENT NOTICE: ‘Now I know why Trump called Nigeria a shithole country’— Ortom

The governor, who is said to have concluded plans to dump the ruling APC added that legitimate political choices and movements like cross-carpeting, were part of a democratic enterprise.

“Any attempt to bully people out of their legitimate, democratic choices is a war against democracy, the rights of the citizenry that power this unique people-oriented system of governance.”

“I also call on our leaders at all levels, to guard their utterances, in order not to drive our nation further down the path of divisiveness and ethnic/religious mistrust. Let us water our democracy, using the fountains of equity, fairness and justice for all.”

 

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