Godfathers have hijacked democracy, says Bode George

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Bode George, says Nigeria's democracy is now under threat due to the activities of godfathers all over the country.

In a statement on Friday, titled, 'We must respect the will of the people', Geoge said, “Our democracy which has been sustained for almost 20 years is now wobbly, unsteady, and fraught with all kinds of aberrations. Little tin pot men playing godfathers are springing up everywhere; planting their agents across the nation. Thus, the very fundamental core of liberty is being dismantled.”

He noted that the 2019 general elections present another opportunity for Nigerians to fix the broken system, saying democracy was degraded when the sovereignty of the people is disregarded in the selfish interest to entrench personal whims and caprices.

The PDP chieftain added, “At the end of the day, everyone becomes a victim of the tyranny of a vain, greedy minority. But this nation can do better. Let us rebuild our moral ethos. Let us recommit ourselves to the core integrity of the Athenian Democracy where the popular will reign supreme over the narrow interest of the few.

“It is how we handle the coming elections that will invariably decide the future of our nation and our collective destiny. I pray that we commit ourselves towards a more redeeming and enlightening national vision.”

He lamented that Nigeria had good leaders in the past before greed, avarice and tribalism crept into the political space, which he said had worsened people's standard of living.

The PDP chieftain criticised the conduct and outcome of the Ekiti State and Osun State governorship elections won by the All Progressives Congress, saying the PDP was rigged out by “a supposedly unbiased umpire and the ruling party”. He warned that any attempt by those in power to continually manipulate the will of the people is a recipe for crisis. – Punch