11 years of democracy in Nigeria – its not yet uhuru
The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) Anambra State Branch joins Nigerians to mark 11 years of Democracy in Nigeria .
It is our position that it is still immature to celebrate Democracy in Nigeria because Anti Democratic forces are still in control of the affairs of our nation state – Nigeria .
Nigerians should not rejoice yet, rather eleven years of uninterrupted civil rule should afford us another great opportunity for sober reflection and introspection. This is a time to confront what has held us down for so long from moving ahead as a democratic nation.
Such forces that are inimical and antithetical towards the realization of true democracy includes but not limited to the stronghold of former military dictators in the political arena, influence of money politics in the polity, the brazen method of electoral malpractices and the winner-takes-it-all attitude. Other includes a polluted Nigeria police, corruption and the culture of impunity.
The death of men of integrity in judiciary is another set back for democracy in Nigeria .
Democracy allows rooms for plurality of opinions, an independent press and a guarantee of the freedom of expression among other liberties enshrined in our constitution.
Unfortunately, we are still living in a climate of fear where truth still remains a scarce commodity because of its inherent implications and hazards. In the words of the former United States Secretary of State, Ms. Condoleeza Rice, “if a person cannot walk into the middle of the town square and express his/her views without fear of arrest, imprisonment or physical harm, then that person is living in a fear society and not in a free society”.
The resurgence of maiming, killings and assaults on journalists performing their legitimate duties is a sore pointer to the fact that Nigeria is still in the lower rung of the ladder for measuring democratic indices.
We call for the passage of the Freedom Of Information Bill and the requisite legislation from the National Assembly that will ensure adequate protection and life time assurance policy coverage for media practitioners in Nigeria .
We also challenge Dr. Goodluck Jonathan the president of the federal Republic of Nigeria to walk the talk by moving ahead to institutionalize a credible election culture in Nigeria . That is the only legacy that shall be the stepping stone towards living out the true creed of democracy in Nigeria .
Signed
Comrade Aloysius Attah
Chairman Civil Liberties Organization
Anambra State Branch
princemmy@yahoo.com
08035090548
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