Is June 12th Democracy Day?

Nigeria is a great country not because of our size or population, not even because of the mineral resources we posses, but because of the ingenuity, smartness and intelligence of the people that occupies this part of the world. The intelligence and smartness to change narratives to suit situations and create sympathy, makes Nigerians great in a negative form of what greatness is.

The June 12th, 1993 elections was a historic one and has been declared the fairest election in the history of Nigeria. It is adjudged so because it was an election that saw a Muslim/Muslim ticket succeed in Nigeria where the population of Christians and Muslims are almost equal. It was an election the Christians in Nigeria did not bother about the religion of the Presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate of the then Social Democratic Party (SDP) and voted massively for them.  An election that came after a long military rule that had suffocated Nigerians who had earnestly prayed something new in terms of leadership style should come their way. In fact, evidence had and have shown that Nigerians as at then just wanted anything that will not be called military rule and this was even seen in the movement for General Sani Abacha (Our current Ancestral Financial Helper) to transit from a dictator to civilian President.

President Muhammadu Buhari

There is one thing the young people of today may not know, and that is, there was democracy in Nigeria before 1993. President Shehu Shagari and Alex Ekwueme were both elected Democratic President and  vice president in 1979 in an election nobody told us was rigged. In fact, General Olusegun Obasanjo stands  with his head very high as the military President who successfully handed over to a civil government after a long military rule that was characterized by coup and counter coup. That Democratic government of President Shehu Shagari was overthrown on the 31st of December, 1983 by some military boys and the beneficiary of that criminal act was and is our current President, Muhammadu Buhari.

While the June 12, 1993 elections has generated so much heat because of the controversies surrounding the aftermath of the elections and the subsequent killing of the winner of that elections,  which has culminated into the current frenzy of declaring that day Democracy day for political exigencies and manipulation, because it currently adds no value to the system with the way Nigeria is, it should also be on record that 31st December 1983 is also as important and should be recognized as a day Democracy was destroyed in Nigeria by Buhari and his boys.

If June 12, 1993 becomes democracy day in Nigeria, what of December 31st, 1983?

While we demonize General Babangida for annuling June 12 1993 elections, we should also not forget that there was a General Muhammadu Buhari who had also  destroyed democracy on 31st December, 1983.

Ekpenyong Isaiah,
Commander, Infantry Pen Battallion
isacool4good@yahoo.com