Major Nigerian newspapers on Friday, 29 May 2009, reviewed the nation’s 10 years of unbroken democratic rule as well as the first two years of a four-year term for incumbent President, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
While the president listed a number of achievements made in just two years of his administration, some Nigerian papers carried reports of divergent views on the road so far since Olusegun Obasanjo became president on 29 May 1999.
In its screaming headline, “Democracy Day: Nothing to Celebrate, say Buhari, Atiku”, THIS DAY newspaper on Saturday reported that as Nigeria marks 10 years of democracy, former head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari, former vice president, Atiku Abubakar and former presidential candidate and secretary to the government of the federation, Chief Olu Falae, said that there was nothing to celebrate.
They said instead of celebrating, Nigerians should join hands with promoters of the proposed mega party to mark what they called the First Electoral Reform Day.
According to the paper, General Buhari openly declared support for the formation of the mega party to checkmate the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2011 elections.
“There is nothing to celebrate as we mark ten years of democracy in Nigeria. What we are celebrating today is the Electoral Reform Day and not the Democracy Day , ” the paper quoted Buhari as saying, adding that “Every Nigerian should stand up to be counted as a supporter of the formation of a mega party.”
According to THIS DAY, Atiku also chided the PDP and its “cohorts” for allegedly bastardising democracy in Nigeria.
It said that Falae, who was the chairman of the occasion, also said there was nothing to celebrate on the tenth anniversary of democratic governance in the country.
Rather, he said, opposition politicians had chosen to use 29 May 2009 as a day to fight for genuine electoral reforms “which will engender a transparent electoral system”.
Falae lambasted the PDP, saying it represented “an ideologically-bankrupt and decadent ruling elite presiding over the administration of the nation in the past ten years”.
Writing under the headline, “Buhari, Atiku, Ojukwu, Others Celebrate Electoral Reform Day,” the Guardian newspaper on Friday wrote: “While the nation’s official d om celebrated Democracy Day, proponents of mega party under a coalition of the Mega Party Movement (MPM) on their own part converged in Abuja to celebrate ‘Electoral Reform Day’, saying that Nigeria, after 10 years of democratic experience, had not had any democracy to celebrate.”
Instead of celebrating a “vain thing”, the MPM said, Nigerians should join the movement in its agitation for the reform of Nigeria’s electoral system as that only could make a way for democracy in the country, according to the paper.
It reported that senior citizens like former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Biafran warlord, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, former governor of old Kaduna State, Abdukadir Balarabe Musa, among others, had pledged total support for the activities of the Mega Party Movement (MPM) which, according to its National Secretariat Chairman, Chief Olu Falae, would metamorphose into an opposition political party to stand the ruling party in the 2011 election.
However, the Vanguard, writing under the headline, “Why democracy is on course – Yar’Adua”, says President Umaru Yar’Adua attributed the success of democratic rule in the last 10 years, two of which he has been as the helm of affairs, to the deep-rooted loyalty and professionalism of the officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
He said: “Tomorrow (today) marks the 10th anniversary of civil democratic governance in Nigeria. It is gratifying to note that the nation’s Armed Services have been critical partners over the last 10 years in the quest for the entrenchment and strengthening of democratic ideals, institutions and structures.
“Subordination to civil authority as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has become institutionalised.”
Listening to other areas of success, Yar’Adua said the seven-point agenda of his administration, which came into power in 2007, was on course for fulfilment.
According to Yar’Adua, “Today’s commemoration of ten years of uninterrupted democratic rule in our beloved country and the second anniversary of the present Administration is an occasion to reflect on the steady progress we have made as a nation over the past decade and the challenges that still lay ahead of us a people.
“We have certainly made steady progress over the past ten years in the consolidation of democratic governance in our country. We have conducted three successive general elections and peacefully transferred power from one civilian administration to another. Given our historical antecedents, these represent a testimony tha tour people have clearly shown their preference for democratic governance and an abiding faith in its transformative power.
“Building on the significant work done in the first eight years of our present democratic dispensation, we have begun interventions in critical areas that will enhance the capacity of Nigerians to create wealth and live healthy, productive and prosperous lives.”
Plans to reform the police, the electoral reform (which suffered a setback at the national assembly recently), power generation, oil and gas, road construction, rail, road and water transportation were also listed as areas the present administration h a d made progress.
“Yar’Adua: A mid-term appraisal”, was the headline in the SUN newspaper on Friday.
The paper reeled out a number of promises made by Yar’Adua when he was inaugurat ed on 29 May 2007, indicating that most have yet to be fulfilled.
The SUN asked: “How has Yar’Adua acquitted himself? Has his administration lied up to its promises? Has it touched the lives of Nigerians positively or negatively ? What are the challenges it must grapple with in the remaining two years, if it must leave its footprints on the sands of time?”
According to the paper, the mid-term is a veritable opportunity to assess the Yar’Adua regime, which is the second in our ten years of unbroken democratic experience. How has it acquitted itself? Has it lived up to its promises?
The SUN reports that the Yar’Adua administration has not translated any of the a bove dreams to reality.
“True, 500 billion naira was recently devoted to the creation of employment, and at least 2.2 million jobs are expected to be created, but it is still in the real of expectation.”
The paper says what Nigerians want is tangible, visible reality.
Inflation is as high as ever, while the exchange rate of the Naira to the dollar and other international currencies has virtually hit the sky, although part of this can be blamed on the global economic meltdown, the paper said.
The Democracy Day celebrations overshadowed other stories which made the front pages earlier in the week.
These include corruption cases being carried out by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).