Former president Olusegun Obasanjo says Nigeria is back to the Abacha
era when state institutions were used to fight perceived enemies of the
head of state, recklessly.
Obasanjo gave the warning on Sunday in his state of the nation address which he tagged “Points for Concern and Action”.
Sani Abacha, a general, was the military head of state from November
1993 till his death in June 1998 and was accused of using dictatorial
powers to rule the country.
Obasanjo decided to address the nation following recent developments in
the polity, including the trial of the chief justice of Nigeria, Walter
Onnoghen, over an alleged false declaration of assets.
Obasanjo said: “Today, another Abacha Era is here. The security
institutions are being misused to fight all critics and opponents of
Buhari and to derail our fledgling democracy. EFCC, Police and Code of
Conduct Tribunal are also being equally misused to deal with those
Buhari sees as enemies for criticising him or as those who may not do
his bidding in manipulating election results.
democracy. If democracy is derailed or aborted, anarchy and
authoritarianism will automatically follow.
“Today, as in the day of Abacha, Nigerians must rise up and do what they
did in the time of Abacha. Churches and Mosques prayed. International
community stood by us Nigerians. I was a beneficiary and my life was
saved. Well-meaning Nigerians took appropriate actions and made
sacrifices, some supreme, some less than supreme but God had the final
say and He took the ultimate action.”
Obasanjo say Nigerians won’t allow one man make them start living in fear.
