…as Wike, Sani, Ozekhome clash over Nigeria’s 25 years of democracy

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – Senator Shehu Sani, a former lawmaker, revealed on Thursday that democracy fighters made a fundamental mistake by not taking advantage of the opportunity to take power from the military in 1999.

Speaking in a panel discussion at the THISNIGERIA Lecture and Award held in Abuja with the theme ’25 Years of Unbroken Democracy – Challenges, Prospects and Possibilities’, Senator Sani recalled how he and other democracy fighters were imprisoned for some years before the death of former military leader Sani Abacha which led to the release of many of them.

According to him, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, former military Head of State, had offered to hand over power to them, but they refused.

He regretted their inability to take the opportunity to take over power from the military as the African National Congress (ANC) did in South Africa, noting that by the time they decided to listen to the military, it was already late.

Sani said, “General Abdulsalami Abubakar invited all of us who fought for democracy to come together and take over power. He wanted to hand over to a democratic government and urged us to unite and claim our rightful place. However, we made a fundamental mistake. We refused his invitation three times, and instead, allowed politicians to take over.

“Gani Fawehinmi, Mike Ozekhome, Femi Falana, Olisa Agbakoba, and I were all opposed to cooperating with the military. But Bola Tinubu wisely cautioned that if we didn’t participate, others would fill the vacuum.

“By the time we decided to join politics, it was too late. The politicians had already taken over all the posts. Mike Ozekhome tried to become the governor of Edo State but failed, Olisa Agbakoba attempted to become president but couldn’t, Gani Fawehinmi tried to become president but wasn’t successful, Femi Falana attempted to become a governor but failed, and I tried to become the governor of Kaduna State but couldn’t. The space had been taken over by politicians.”

Meanwhile, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, in his address, hailed Nigeria’s democratic progress, saying the country had come a long way since its return to democracy in 1999.

He said, “Democracy is a testament to the will of the people, representing our collective voice, shared values, and common aspirations.

“The past 25 years have been a testament to the resilience and strength of our democratic institutions, despite the numerous challenges we’ve faced.

“We must acknowledge the individuals and institutions that have played vital roles in sustaining our democracy, from statesmen to ordinary citizens.

“The press has been the watchdog of our democracy, holding leaders accountable and providing platforms for diverse voices to be heard.

“Democracy is an evolving process, requiring constant nurturing and vigilance to address issues like intellectual integrity, human rights, economic development, and social justice.

“Our journey has shown that despite differences, we are united in building an inclusive, prosperous, and democratic nation.

“Let us look to the future with optimism and determination, ensuring our democratic institutions are strong and the values of freedom, justice, and equality continue to guide us.”

However, Mike Ozekhome, the guest lecturer, criticized the government, saying democracy had not delivered on its promises.

He said, “25 years of democracy is a significant milestone, but we haven’t fully embraced its tenets.

“We have civilian governments, but I question whether we’re truly practicing democracy, where people choose their leaders and votes are counted and respected.

“For democracy to be genuine, votes must be counted and allowed to count, reflecting the people’s true choices.

“Nigeria has underperformed in consolidating democratic gains over the past two decades.

“A major challenge is our economy’s disarticulation; we need to learn from the Asian Tigers’ export-driven growth and investment in education.

“Leadership must galvanize the people, fostering belief and unity to overcome prebendalism, favouritism, sectionalism, tribalism, and bigotry.”

“A new national Constitution, built on agreed principles, is essential for Nigeria’s progress.

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, defended the government, saying progress had been made in infrastructure development. 

He accused Shehu Sani and Mike Ozekhome of being hypocritical, saying “We are aware of our challenges, but we must acknowledge some progress. In 25 years, we have made some progress, despite the challenges. The fact that there are no more incidents of detention and lockdowns signifies progress. The infrastructure development in the FCT is a testament to the President’s ability to deliver results.

“Mr. President knows there is a problem, and that’s why he introduced the Renewed Hope Agenda. Nigerians have lost hope, and the President is making efforts to address this. We can’t expect a quick fix for the economy, but we are working towards it.

“While being an activist doesn’t guarantee success in political office – we’ve seen activists fail in appointed positions – we must recognize progress and build on it, rather than giving the impression that nothing has been achieved.”

Professor Abiodun Adeniyi, a mass communication professor at Baze University Abuja, emphasized the need for Nigeria to focus on character integration, inclusion, and representation.

Meanwhile, the Publisher of ThisNigeria, Eric Osagie, said the event aims to celebrate and critically examine Nigeria’s quarter-century of uninterrupted democratic governance, discussing its prospects and possibilities. 

According to him, it seeks to provide a platform for reflection on the country’s democratic journey, highlighting both the achievements and challenges faced over the past 25 years. 

“By bringing together stakeholders and experts, the event aims to facilitate a constructive conversation on the future of Nigeria’s democracy, exploring opportunities for growth and development,” he said.

The event was attended by dignitaries, such as politicians, civil society leaders, and media executives including the Publisher of Vanguard Newspaper, Pa Sam Amuka-Pemu, among others