Former minister of Education, Prof Ben Nwabueze, has charged Rivers State governor, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, to prepare himself for rescuing the nation’s democracy from nepotism, sectionalism and pervasion of justice.
Nwabueze gave the charge yesterday in Port Harcourt, in a public lecture organised by the state government to mark the third anniversary of the administration of Wike.
The elder statesman, who reminisced on the journey to democracy in the country, noted that Nigeria has suffered nepotism, sectionalism and pervasion of justice, and described the theme of the lecture: “Democracy in Nigeria: Still many rivers to cross”, as timely.
He noted that the first river, which is dynamic leadership, has been achieved by the state governor and charged him to brace up for the task ahead, stressing that his (Nwabueze) generation could not deliver the nation from bad governance.
Nwabueze stated: “’Democracy in Nigeria: Still many rivers to cross’, is apt. It is true. I would say one river has been crossed in Rivers State, which is river of dynamic leadership.
“We want the young people to take over the government of this nation and Wike is one of them. My generation is gone. My generation cannot save this country. Wike, we are charging you with the energy you have exhibited, to take up the mantle.
“It may not be in 2019 because of the zoning arrangement. But, prepare yourself for the future to save the democracy of this nation. We want you to help us save democracy in Nigeria. That is one river to cross.
“We still have the river of nepotism and sectionalism, which is killing this country.
This country is being governed by sectionalism. Also, there is river of pervasion in section 308 of the Constitution. It is a coercive section of the constitution, to search the residence of a serving governor. Can the residence of the president be searched?
“Pervasion goes with impunity. Your excellency, we charge you to save the democracy of this country from many rivers. Until these rivers are crossed, we are yet to come out of the hoods”, the former minister noted.
In his response, Governor Wike called for collective efforts to ensure a workable democracy in the country, and not the type currently experienced, where government chooses the court orders to obey and disobey.
Governor Wike, who also challenged the guest speaker, and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, on some gray areas, stressed that the will of the people must matter in a democracy.
He said, “The judiciary and INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) have been intimidated and this is not good to the development of democracy.
“The only way democracy can work is when the right thing is done. What happened on that day the court (State Judiciary complex) was locked, is a coup against Rivers State. The will of the people is a very important key for democracy to triumph.
“I have the mandate of the people to ensure that violence is not allowed. As a governor, I won’t allow people to come and overthrow the state. The mandate of the people must be protected”, Wike declared.
Earlier in his lecture, Dr. Kukah stated that the country still has a long way to go in the journey of attaining a functional democracy, and urged Nigerians to come together to achieve it.
The fiery cleric stated that Nigeria’s democracy was characterised by “distortion, disruption and destruction”, adding that, if 90 million out of the 190 or 200 million of the nation’s population cannot vote during an election, it is an indication that the country’s democracy has problem.
He noted: “Nigeria has not developed a political culture, which has consequences on democracy. Political parties should not be created just to get power. Nigerians need to increase the consciousness of ideology of their political parties”.
The guest speaker further stated the urgency to develop the culture of life, noting that the Nigerians have lost the sacredness of human life, which underscores a democratic process.
“We need to invest in the architecture of peace. We have to make our environment seriously habitable; and this we do by taking politics seriously”, he said.
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