Former military Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, says Nigeria’s democracy has survived threats from forces seeking to destroy it.
Abubakar stated this 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, on Thursday in Abuja.
The ex-Head of State, who was represented by Abdulrasheed Aliyu, a retired general, said democracy has come to stay in Nigeria.
“There is no substitute for the government of the people, by the people, and for the people, which democracy represents, as sovereignty resides with the people.
“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,” he said.
