"There was no doubt that Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, even in the estimation of some of those who killed him, was every bit a real Right Honourable democrat. General Aguiyi Ironsi, who couldn’t complete his term, had no timetable of return to democracy. General Yakubu Gowon, though himself democratically laissez faire in his own personal attitude and style, tried to ignore his own timetable of return. General Murtala Mohammed, though sincere in his determination to bring about democracy, must have thought democracy was an order that could be barked. Even back in 1979, General Olusegun Obasanjo wanted a ‘third term,’ but General TY Danjuma killed it. In office, Alhaji Shehu Shagari was a parliamentary democrat even though his government wasn’t. General Muhammadu Buhari , who couldn’t complete his term, had no timetable for return to democracy. General Ibrahim Babangida wanted a ‘third term’ without saying it in so many words. General Sani Abacha wanted a ‘third term’ and almost said so. After him, General Abdulsalami Abubakar didn’t even wait to complete his term. And isn’t it curious that the People’s Democratic Party that succeeded him and which has prided itself about being the largest political party in sub-Saharan Africa, with the most governors of all the parties put together and with the largest number of legislators, has never claimed to have promoted democracy. Which apparently encouraged President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007 to again wish to have a real ‘third term;’ but this time he decided that action-and money-spoke louder than words. Louder but apparently not loud enough. And his handpicked successor, President Umar ‘Yar’adua, couldn’t complete his term. And now, President Goodluck Jonathan wants a second term, and you wonder what he wants to do with it. To be sure, he has never had an agenda that he can call his own; but not even the famous Obasanjo agenda can be seen at work through him. President Goodluck Jonathan might at one time have been President Olusegun Obasanjo’s protégé, but few were two people who, in temperament and attitude, so wildly differed. While the former knew what he wanted and how to get it, and eventually, by crook or by more crook, did get it; the latter knew not it, nor how to get it, and probably didn’t care. But as to their support base, they are ever so remarkably similar, because the grassroots of the protégé of a rootless politician is not unlike grass without roots. Yes, eventually it withers." Adamu Adamu
Posted on: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 05:09:35 +0000
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