Abdulsalami: Nigeria must not return to military rule

Abdulsalami Abubakar, former military head of state, says the nation’s democracy has survived threats from “forces” seeking to destroy it.

Abdulsalami spoke in Abuja on Thursday at the public presentation of a book, ‘Celebrating 100 Years of Political Party Evolution in Nigeria — The Imperatives of Nigeria’s Political Stability: Issues and Solutions’, by the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).

Represented by Abdulrasheed Aliyu, a retired general, Abubakar said democracy has come to stay in Nigeria.

“There is no substitute to the government of the people, by the people and for the people, which democracy represents as sovereignty resides with the people,” he said.

“I am happy that my government, as the then military head of state, ushered in this era of democracy when I handed over power to the elected president on 29th May 1999.

“My government laid this solid foundation for democratic governance. It also shows that when leaders are patriotic, passionate, resolute and unwavering in building strong democratic structures and institutions, democracy can flourish and yield its dividends to citizens.

“We should, therefore, keep watering and nurturing the tree of democracy as there is no alternative to civil rule. Our democracy has been tested and shaken by reactionary forces and survived. It is a testament to citizens belief and resilience in representative governance.”

Abubakar was sworn in as head of state following the death of Sani Abacha in June 1998.

He was Nigeria’s last military leader. Abubakar handed over power to democratically elected Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, keeping his promise of returning the country to civilian rule.

Abubakar commended IPAC for the “foresight in articulating and writing this historic book” on 100 years of political party evolution in Nigeria, saying it is a milestone in the nation’s democratic process.

‘NIGERIA NOT YET A NATION’

Presenting the keynote address, Anyim Pius Anyim, former senate president, said Nigeria is not yet a nation.

He described a nation as a group of people who share a common history, culture or tradition, language, and often a geographic region.

“This is to say that it is only countries that have successfully midwifed their diverse population into a common national aspiration, and interest through systems and structures that engender a general sense of belonging which inspires national consciousness, patriotism and pride that are qualified to be called nations,” he said.

“I am to say at this juncture that it is a simpler task to come together to form a country but to build it into a nation is a much more difficult task. It is only a country that has evolved into a nation that is usually politically stable.

“In our own particular case in Nigeria, there is no gainsaying that we formed a country but not yet able to build it into a nation. This inability of our successive leaders to build our country into a nation-state is at the core of our political challenges.”

Anyim said two factors — fear of domination among the various ethnic nationalities, and mutual distrust — have constrained nation building efforts.

“These two factors make it impossible to inspire patriotism without which there cannot be nation building. In other multi-ethnic countries like ours that have made better progress at building a nation-state, these two factors had been overcome through systems and institutions of government,” he added.

In his remarks, Yusuf Dantalle, national chairman of IPAC, said the book documents the political party landscape from 1923 to 2023, showing the rich history, evolution and resilience of political parties in Nigeria.

“It is a reflection of the trials and triumphs, the challenges and achievements that have shaped our political landscape over the past century,” he said.

“Today, as we gather to celebrate the centenary activities of political parties in Nigeria, we pay tribute to the visionaries, the leaders and the citizens who have contributed to the growth and development of our democracy.

“This book serves as a beacon of knowledge and insight, shedding light on the struggles and progress that have defined our political journey.”

Dantalle urged Nigerians to partner and support IPAC’s efforts to deepen democracy through innovative programmes.