The language of democracy is heard in free speech, mass participation and action. It is the value of a free people and developed societies. The unfortunate illness of President Umaru Yar‘Adua and the emergence of a cabal in the Presidency have again awakened many Nigerians to the fact that sidon look will lead no where.
Just as it was in the days of the pro-democracy campaigns against the dictatorial military regimes, Nigeria is now witnessing series of marches and demonstrations both in Abuja and other parts of the country.
The protests which followed the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election were for the validation of the election, formal release of its result and the declaration of the late Chief M.K.O Abiola as President. The demonstrations were characterised by violent clashes between protesters and armed security agents, who were bent on crushing the will of the people.
Miscreants also seized the opportunity to engage in vandalism, thereby smearing the good intentions of the demonstrators. Getting result under this situation was remote as the military oligarchy was prepared to protect its hold on power seized with the barrel of the gun.
The demonstrations however, were successful in drawing attention to the plight of the people and securing sympathy from the international community. These eventually brought the juntas under pressure and were forced to return power to civilians.
Today, the march is a little different and Abuja, understandably, has remained the centre for the ventilation of the people‘s frustrations and anger. There are no tanks to frighten protesters; there have not been any teargas, no bullets, and no battering. The processions have been relatively peaceful, while the anti-riot policemen have provided security rather than brutalise the protesters.
When people take to the streets with their voices up to the heavens, you know all is not well with the nation. That is why when the Save Nigeria Group led by Prof. Wole Soyinka, Pastor Tunde Bakare and Mr. Femi Falana, mobilised Nigerians to a peaceful protest in Abuja on January 12, 2009, to press for the transfer of presidential powers to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, a new era was believed to have appeared in the country‘s political horizon.
Although the issue of Yar‘Adua‘s prolonged absence and its effect on the governance of the country had remained in the public domain and discourse for a while, the demonstration by the SNG spurred the people to action. Their demands were clear: Yar‘Adua in a Saudi hospital could not rule on a sick bed. He must hand over power to his deputy or resign on health grounds. They called on the National Assembly to activate the constitutional provisions to confer Jonathan with the powers of Acting President until the President recovered from his illness. Others however called for the invocation of Section 144 of the Constitution, which requires the Executive Council of the Federation to ascertain the true state of the President‘s health with a view to declaring him unfit or otherwise to rule the country.
As soon as the SNG concluded its march to the NASS and submitted its position, a group of rag tag youths allegedly assembled from the streets of Abuja and the University of Abuja, poured into the arcade of the NASS, expressing their support for Yar‘Adua and denounced calls to transfer power to Jonathan. Although the protest in favour of Yar‘Adua ended in a fiasco over the sharing of money, the organisers succeeded largely in exercising their freedom of expression as enshrined in the Constitution. They also received police protection similar to that enjoyed by the SNG.
The protests by the different groups immediately sparked off a chain of reactions. Besides the calls from the United States of America and other notable members of the International Community, various political formations started paying visits to the NASS urging its leadership to take steps at forestalling the collapse of the fragile democracy.
The National Democratic Movement, led by General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Nigerian Elders Forum, led by former leaders such as Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Dr. Alex Ekwueme and yet another forum of concerned Nigerians led by Chief Pius Anyim, mounted pressure on the NASS to do something fast. Finally, the vacillating governors, having seen the handwriting on the wall, belatedly announced their support for a political solution to the Yar‘Adua stalemate.
With the resolutions of February 9 by both chambers of the NASS declaring Jonathan as Acting President, the arms of the Save Nigeria Group became strengthened.
But just as the tension began to die down, Yar‘Adua was smuggled into the country at odd hours of the night and driven straight in an ambulance into the Presidential Villa where he has remained incommunicado. The air of uncertainty which returned after drove the SNG back to the streets. This time, the group demanded for the unravelling of the mystery surrounding Yar‘Adua‘s return and to promptly declare him unfit
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