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Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, says Nigerians will rise against attempt to truncate democracy via a military coup.
Tinubu at a special parliamentary session organised by the Lagos State House of Assembly to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the state, today, warned the soldiers nursing such undemocratic ambition to have a rethink.
Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai recently revealed that some military officers were reaching out to some politicians to throw spanner into the nation’s democratic wheel, even as concern continues to mount over the uncertainty surrounding the health status of President Muhamadu Buhari, currently on medical vacation to the United Kingdom.
Tinubu said “I will like to sound a caution to us all the precious thing we have – democracy that we are now trying to perfect is not guaranteed to us. We must sweat hard yet think wisely if we are to keep it. There will always be some people who want to undermine democracy. These people gain more from the government in the dark.
“Just a few days ago, we had a warning that some people were trying to entice the military out of the barracks. I say don’t try it. I want to add my voice to that warning. Those who think they can break the democracy so many of us labored and for which too many people died, sacrificed their lives, they are sure mistaken.
“Nigeria has come too far for such a thing to happen. Those people behind such idea will find no fertile ground to plant their seed in Lagos. We will not buy their bad product; whatever they want to sell is a bad product and we are going to reject it. We tell them, move away from here because Lagos State will resist it, Lagos State is saying move away from it, don’t think about it, we are all staying together to grow our democracy,” Tinubu said.
Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, also speaking said since its creation in 1967, Lagos had been a shining example and critical hub of socio-economic and political development, saying that the harmonious relationship between the three arms of government in Nigeria which is reflective in the governance model of Lagos State promoted the interest and welfare of the people.
“Today, we are celebrating the contributions of the Lagos State House of Assembly, particularly the 8th Assembly in the last two years, to the true principles of democratic governance through passage of Bills that advance the principle of governance and promotion of social welfare of the people within the ambits of the law.
“It is on record that military incursion into governance has always made the legislature its first victim by suspending the constitution with all powers against the wishes of our people. Therefore, the Legislature can be said to be the most exposed in governance model in the current democratic dispensation, if we have to give its true meaning and relevance in a representative government,” he said.
JOSHUA BASSEY
