On the eve of Nigerias Independence Anniversary, Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar says actions meted out on the judiciary and the freedom of press can best be described as an attack in the country.
In a statement on Monday, he said Nigeria’s founding fathers could never have fathomed that the nation would face such situation 59 years after gaining independence.
Alhaji Atiku insist that without press freedom and independence of the judiciary as well as presence of youth activists it will be practically impossible to make democratic progress. In his words, he said ordinarily the future of Nigeria should not be intimidated when they speak out about the state of the nation.
“All is not well when judges are persecuted for enforcing the constitutionally guaranteed fundamental human rights of Nigerian citizens,” he said in his Independence Day message.
He added, “All is not well when Nigeria is now officially the world headquarters for extreme poverty and out of school children, yet the cost of maintaining those in government continues to grow, while the needs of the governed are not being met.
“And certainly, all is not well when the media cannot freely express itself without the fear that those who wield the big stick would use it on them for saying things as they are.”
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) explained that he could go with the flow and say all was well with the country or called for prayers like other leaders.
He stated that he could also call on Nigerians to show more understanding, but was mindful of the fact that “the time for rhetoric has long since passed.”
Atiku said, “Now is the time for all lovers of Nigeria to take concrete steps to aid Nigeria’s progress by not just praying and showing understanding, but also to take democratic action to ensure that the ideals of our founding fathers – Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress – are not set aside on the altar of tyranny.”
Rather than just call for prayers, he asked Nigerians to believe in and work for the nation’s betterment.
He also urged them to always insist that no one in the country, no matter how highly placed must be bigger than the laws of the land.
(C) Control TV 2019.
