Right of Reply: Re-Quirk of Fate -by akata david

What these three musketeers have in Common is "Democracy" Abdusalamin Abubakar delivered it; Muhamadu Buhari aborted it; while the evil genius scuttled it for just no cause.

Now the two erstwhile enemies of these great phenomena seek exalted offices under that which they once destroyed, but it continues to elude them...." You only attract what you respect"

Dear Editor,
I saw in your paparazzi photo shot the above statement apparently describing the ideological relationship between the three past Head of state and their various roles in institutionalizing democracy at various times in Nigeria.

Suffice to say that criticism are necessary but they should at least show element of objectivity with supportive facts taking into consideration the circumstances surrounding what and who we are criticizing.

While you were quick to point out what bond these three ex-HOS together, you completely ignore what separate them apart ideologically.

I don't know what parameters you use in defining democracy and if it's the basic definition of "Government of the people, "by the people" and for the people", then your assessment is completely flawed judging from the conduct of NPN during the 1982 elections where hundreds of lives and property were killed and destroyed because of NPN desperation to rigged themselves into power in places they were very unpopular particularly in Oyo state. A legacy PDP has improved upon albeit in crude form and graduated to assassination of political opponents.

Perhaps you would have prefer Nigeria to gradually slid into anarchy and going by our credit rating, level of joblessness and essential commodities that were not within reach of an average Nigeria. Maybe in your estimation, the helpless masses would have been better off if the interventionist regime of Buhari were silent as our national treasury was looted brazenly by the likes of Umaru Dikko and others while the likes of Akinloye were busy celebrating birthdays with custom branded Champaign as Nigerians were suffering.

You and many others want Nigerians to believe that during the 70s and 80s everything was totally bad with military regime as they were not perceived as benevolent but yet want gullible Nigerians to take a cue from Ghana and some Asian tiger's countries where military interventionist brought about a stable economy and democracy. What a contradiction.

If the present charade in Nigeria is what you classify as democracy, then I have my serious reservation on your degree of objectivity in photo journalism as the entire world knows it falls short of even Iraq standard that's crises ridden.

You and I know that if the gains made by the Buhari regime were not aborted by the desperate gap toothed and other rapacious greedy generals who felt Buhari and Idiagbon were standing in their way from looting our national treasury dry, today Nigeria and Nigerians would have been better off. I make bold to say that democracy is not a slogan. Democracy itself alone does not empower citizens and create an enabling environment for an economy to thrive. No democracy thrives on weak institution and that was what Buhari's set out to achieve, eluding himself that others in the team shared his vision. It was not self serving. You can prove me wrong if during the 18months Buhari held sway, he abused his office through corrupt enrichment for himself and members of his family compared to the two others whose names have continue to resurface at various probes and have representatives sitting in juicy boards on their behalf. Should your views be taken seriously and not as a joke, the photo of emperor OBJ should have been added as well because he also delivered democracy in 2007.

In conclusion, Buhari pursuit in seeking elective office is borne out of passion and desire to make a difference in the lives of Nigerians. It has never eluded him at anytime but we have a skewed and dysfunctional institutional structure what does not allow for the cardinal principle and tenets of democracy to have its root. Buhari is not the loser but we Nigerians are as each election stolen is meant to short changed the masses.

Regards,
Dave