By Jonathan Ugbal
A gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Mr. Venatius Ikem has said that there is little to celebrate as Nigeria marks 19 years of unbroken democratic rule.
Mr. Ikem who said that the process has failed so far took to Facebook to express his opinion in what appeared to be his democracy day message.
He wrote: “19 years ago today, the world almost stood still as Nigeria again proved the pessimists wrong and came out of the military stranglehold to herald a new dawn as she returned to civilian rule. The day was declared “democracy” day! By next year election children born two years after today will be voting.
“That untainted generation would never have seen a military Governor before. Not a military Head of state in their lives! Nothing to suggest a country ruled by the military. I think the hope of Nigeria rests with that generation.
“I do not like to pretend. I believe in being a realist. We have failed, apart from transiting to civilian rule. We can at least congratulate ourselves for that small feat. Can we look ahead and begin to think? For now this democracy has been hijacked by carpet-baggars looking for more money; who saw in politics another avenue to make more money, because the politicians had no successor plans, no love for each other, no viable agenda for the future.
“It has been a tragedy of monumental proportions and the polity is bleeding… At the end our prayer remains that God will rescue us all… Happy Democracy Day!”