Nigerians would have
fared better under Abiola presidency - AD lawmaker
By Razaq Bamidele
Friday, August 20, 2004
|
•Hon.
Mudasiru Oyetunde Hussein
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
| |
Hon. Mudasiru Oyetunde Hussein is a member of the House of
Representatives representing Oshodi-Isolo Federal Constituency
of Lagos state on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy(AD).
Hussein, who was a frontline member of the famous NADECO abroad
fought along with Ken Saro-Wiwa Jnr and Hafsat Abiola in Washington
DC, United State of America, to actualise the annulled mandate
given to late Bashorun MKO. Abiola in the presidential poll
of June 12, 1993.
The French graduate and pro-democracy activist told Daily
Sun that Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka was right in demanding
an apology from Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida for annulling
the election.
Apology from IBB
First, Professor Wole Soyinka is my leader and a great democrat.
He is a nationalist of world repute for whom I have tremendous
respect. For him to have demanded an apology from Gen. Ibrahim
Babangida, for the annulment of June 12, 1993 election, he
must have seen a need for it. To me, it is a welcome idea.
Babangida’s annulment of the election was a sin against
the generality of Nigerians irrespective of their tribal,
religious and political leanings. It was a day all Nigerians
across the country spoke with one voice by unanimously voting
for late Bashorun MKO Abiola as their president. It was the
day Nigerians exercised their freedom of choice without hindrance
or interference. It was the freest and fairest election this
country has ever witnessed.
So, by annulling such a laudable exercise, Babangida owes
the whole nation an unreserved apology. This, however, has
nothing to do with his ambition to come back as a civilian
president in 2007. It is not to be seen as a condition for
the realisation of his political ambition. What is clear is
that Nigerians deserve IBB’s apology. He, regrettably,
deprived Nigerians of their rights and freedom.
If it is established that you have offended somebody, you
must admit that you have offended the person. Then apology
should follow with repentance. But in IBB’s case, the
whole Nigerians have been offended and they deserve the man’s
apology.
However, the apology should not be misconstrued for acceptance
to come back. The apology must not be attached to any 2007
project. It is long overdue. And as far as I am concerned,
I don’t welcome the idea of IBB presidency any more
in this country.
The apology, is welcome but the idea of coming back is not
acceptable. The man must sit back and think. What does he
want to come back to pick from Aso Rock? Why does he want
to come back after ruling this country for eight years as
a military president?
In my view, he should sit back and act like an elder statesman.
He should standby to give advice towards correcting some of
the social, political and economic anomalies.
MKO Abiola’s government
I am not God. But we know MKO Abiola’s antecedents.
We know what he could have done. Had it been that he was sworn
in as the President of this country based on his victory in
the June 12, 1993 presidential election, I know, the Nigerian
people would not have experienced what we are experiencing
today. I mean political instability, economic failure, social
misfortune, hunger and poverty amidst plenty.
Unemployment could have been drastically reduced if not totally
eradicated. Inflation could have been very low for the masses
to feel comfortable. But, all is destiny. God knows the best.
Since he has gone, I pray Almighty Allah to forgive him all
his sins.
Uniformed presidential aspirants
Enough of uniformed personnel as president. We need a true
democrat and civilian to succeed Olusegun Obasanjo.
Although, in our constitution, everybody has the right to
contest election and aspire to any political office of his
or her choice. Fine. Anybody can contest, but I will not subscribe
to voting another khaki man into power in 2007.
People are talking about the dearth of civilian aspirants,
but I can assure you that they will come. They will surely
come. We still have time for their own strategies, with a
view to coming out with a bang. So, by the end of 2005, we
will know where we are going.
PDP and ineffective opposition
Let me tell you something. In Nigerian politics today, where
there is presidential system of government, we can only have
minority parties. It is only in a parliamentary system that
we have opposition parties. And the minority parties now are
All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Alliance for Democracy
(AD).
And with the type of politics we are playing in Nigeria, the
minority parties can only have their say while the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), which has the majority, will always
have its way, even if the minority parties are on the right
path. That is our political culture and you can call it Nigeria
factor if you like.
If you have been monitoring our efforts in the National Assembly,
you will be convinced that AD members are doing a yeoman’s
job. You will realise that AD members have been opposing vehemently
all policies that are considered anti-people. For example,
we kicked against the state of emergency in Plateau State.
We told Mr. President point blank that he acted outside the
constitution. We of the AD opposed it, but at the end of the
day the PDP had its way.
My observation is that we Nigerians are not yet mature enough
democratically. But we have started well and making headways.
As far as we are concerned, we are doing our best to protect
the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
PDP’s incursion into South West and Obasanjo’s
factor
I don’t believe that the unjust incursion of the PDP
into the South West in the 2003 general elections did not
trigger off violent crisis because Obasanjo, a Yoruba man,
is in power at the centre. Whether you like it or not, there
is no way you can rob people of their rights and there would
not be any repercussion.
But because we in the AD are die-hard democrats, who fought
for this hard-earned democracy, our reaction must be diplomatic
enough so that our sacrfices for the present experiment would
not be in vain.
You can also see that the seizure of the local government
funds called for a crisis. But the issue was condemned with
maturity. Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu condemned it. The Afenifere
and other pro-democracy groups condemned it. We are not unmindful
of the Federal Government’s intention by the move. Our
maturity has averted what could have resulted in the Plateau
State treatment.
It is not in our culture to resort to violent reaction to
settle scores that dialogue can solve without losing a single
drop of blood. Yoruba respect their elders and leaders. We
are acting within the purview of their wise counsel. Violent
crisis cannot augur well for the development of the whole
nation. So, we have to avoid it as much as possible. But we
will always condemn any wrongdoing diplomatically.
2007 and AD
I can assure you that our leaders are labouring hard to ensure
that the party regains all its grounds lost to fraudulent
manipulation of the PDP. The party will not regain only the
South West, it will also move further to expand its territory
across the nation. People are now wiser and they cannot be
deceived the second time in 2007.
You can see that the PDP’s performance either at the
state or federal level is low. The party has not impressed
anybody at all. And that is why the PDP’s governors
in the South West are witch-hunting the former AD governors
in the state. Because they are bereft of idea and don’t
know what to do, they need the victimization of the former
AD governors as diversionary tactics.
Our former governors did wonderful jobs that can be verified.
The PDP cannot equal their achievements, hence the diversionary
tactics.
I will advise them to face their work and fulfil the promises
they made to the electorate rather than chasing shadows by
witch-hunting former AD governors.
|
