Democracy has ushered in progress, says Abubakar

[TGD]

 FORMER Military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, has said that despite the turbulent challenges facing democratic governance in Nigeria since 1999, the country has made tremendous achievement and progress.

Abubakar who handed over power to a democratically elected government in 1999, noted that he was optimistic that the country was going to strive well in the democratic process when  civilian rule came on board.

He stated this in an interview with journalists in Jos Sunday shortly after a condolence visit to the former Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Dame Pauline Tallen over the death of her father, Pa Paul Kattiem at the age of 102.

According to him, "Politics any time is a growing process, we are learning and I think we have come a long way from 1999. Well, the journey has been turbulent but things are moving".

He described the prevailing security challenges that have bedevilled the country as unfortunate and called on Nigerians to join hands with President Goodluck Jonathan to stem the insurgency by exposing the perpetrators.

Abubakar said, though security was everybody's business,  he expressed satisfaction that in the last one year, the situation has been calm and prayed for permanent peace in the North and in the country at large.

He stated: "The security situation in the country, I will say in the last one year, things have improved a little bit. It is step by step. It is unfortunate that we find ourselves in this situation up to the extent that a state of emergency has been declared in some states. Hopefully, Nigerians will join hands to ensure that we bring peace to our country. Peace is the responsibility of each and every one of us, we have a role to play. As I said, all the perpetrators of mischief live among us. They are our  brothers, they are our sisters. We have to play our role by reporting such miscreants to the proper authorities."

On that note, he urged the media to exercise its social responsibility by reporting issues that will unite and bring peace in the country rather than overheating the polity.

"You have a responsibility, you can educate our people, you can inform our people but please when you are doing that, do it in a responsible way. Do not inflame situations, you should find ways of reporting issues without exaggeration."

He called on citizens of the country to learn to live and stay peacefully with one another stressing that no country strives in an atmosphere of rancour.



The Guardian

[Shola Sholaz]

Democracy is the best thing that can happen to any country so i just hope we experience it fully very soon. Great one....