How Nigeria’s democracy can be secured beyond 2015
Human rights activist Ms Ayo Obe has said that to secure democracy beyond 2015, incumbent leaders must end the reign of impunity which results in murder and political violence, corruption and threats.
Obe said this yesterday in a paper delivered at the 11th edition of the Daily Trust Dialogue with the theme ‘Incumbency and impunity in politics: Securing democracy beyond 2015’ which held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
She said, “There are other apparently criminal activities where the protection of the incumbent seems to allow certain persons a disturbing impunity. The threats made by Asari Dokubo that it would ‘be war’ is prevented from having a second term in office come 2015, have been rightly seen as an insult.
“When concern was expressed that Dokubo had been allowed to go free without so much as an ‘invitation’ from the law enforcement or national security agencies to explain his threat that Niger Delta Militants (supposedly disarmed under the terms of the amnesty originated by late President Yar’Adua) would take up arms, Dokubo boasted that if he was arrested, it would signal the end of Nigeria.
“When one considers the kind of mild comments for which the likes of former FCT Minister Nasir el-Rufai, or Dr. Emmanuel Fashakin, have been detained for questioning by the security agencies, it is difficult for ordinary citizens to reach any other conclusion than that Dokubo is enjoying the kind of impunity that only the certainty of protection afforded by an incumbent can provide.”
The activist said the responsibility of ending impunity in politics “rests squarely on the shoulders of those in power today – the incumbents – and in particular, on the table of Mr. President.”
Citing the incumbent reluctance to take a firm stand over the Ministry of Aviation bullet-proof car saga, Obe said “if all the incumbents has to offer is impunity for wrongdoers, the job of securing democracy beyond 2015 will lie with the Nigerian people.
She also described issues education and economic growth that would uplift the lives of the ordinary people and lift them out of poverty as very important to securing democracy.