BY BRIGHT JACOB
A Nigerian lawyer and public administrator, Bisi Adegbuyi, has noted that those calling for the formation of Interim National Government after the emergence of a President-elect are not true democrats.
He said the agitators are “just belly aching, they are not true democrats. In the United States of America, they call them DINO. Incidentally there is another Dino here (Democrats In Name Only).”
The former Postmaster General of Nigeria in a statement at the weekend wondered how anyone can be canvassing for the formation of a government that is unknown to the constitution when an election has been conducted under and by virtue of the same 1999 constitution (as amended).
“Let the will of the majority prevail. You are going to have your say because you have gone to court. Allow the court to go through the evidence that you have presented, which in my view will not add up. This is the most competitive election in my own opinion, therefore, we have to live with it, we have to work with it. It has its shortcomings, but there are no perfect elections anywhere,” he said.
According to Adegbuyi, the presidential and gubernatorial elections were free, fair and credible, saying “In my view, the elections clearly represent the intention of the people who they voted for as the president and as their governors in their respective states and senators and members of the House of Representatives and the elected members of the house of assemblies all over Nigeria.
“There are laid down procedures for ventilating grievances, objections whether real or imagined or perceived. Once you have subscribed to the process why advocating for another extra legal means? Why do you want to resort to self-help?
“These people have scant regard for democracy and they are people who are predisposed to military dictatorship. We will make this democracy work in spite of its imperfections. Democracy is a journey, not a destination.”
Adegbuyi stressed that one of the most fascinating definitions of democracy that he often quoted is that “democracy is the best system of government which allows people to behave stupidly anytime they so desire. That is one of the nuances of democracy that we have to live with.
Once the choice is made, you have to wait for another four years in accordance with the terms and conditions contained in the constitution and other various subsidiary legislations before you can renew the mandate or sack the person, except, of course, if other means of getting elected office holders out of office are activated.”
He urged those calling for the formation of ING to be reasonable and stop belly-aching because they have made their choice and the majorities too have made their choices.
“The choices of the majority must prevail in this circumstance. Let us allow democracy to work in Nigeria. Let us allow the President-elect to face the arduous task of nation-building. Let us allow the utilitarian concept of democracy to take root in Nigeria. We need a democracy that would deliver on the 17 goals of the sustainable development of the United Nations as espoused in the UNDP document. That is what we should be talking about now. The horses have bolted, the train has moved from the station. The next destination would be 2027 when we shall have the opportunity of looking at the role of the tape and make a fresh choice of either renewing the mandate that has been given to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu or you seek another person to occupy the office if you are dissatisfied,” Adegbuyi stressed.
He expressed confidence that, “having regards to the pedigree, antecedents and thinking outside of the box and his commitment to democratic credentials, innovative governance, getting the right people, the right peg in the right hole, we are embarking on an interesting journey of good governance and we will all be happy for it.”
