By Boma Nwuke
Last week,the Department of State Services ( DSS) warned about plot by some persons to undermine Nigeria’s democracy by “championing anarchy” in the country.
This week, the same Agency has said that it has uncovered plot by Nigerians, particularly, politicans and their supporters to truncate the smooth transition of May 29 and in their mischief, install an Interim government.
The Service has also revealed the strategies the anti- democratic elements and their sponsors are deploying which includes, “unending violent mass protests” and “frivolous court injunctions” .
The good thing about the report is that the DSS was quick to discover the plan before it was fully hatched and is battle ready to tackle the perpetrators.
Indeed, aligning with the perspective of the DSS is the most reasonable thing any lover of Nigeria should do at the moment.
The DSS ,as a secret police has warned about the looming danger, created by some Nigerian politicians threatening the fragile democracy and corporate existence if care is not directed at nipping it in the bud early enough.
Even before the Security Agency issued its warning it was clear that the country was heading for anarchy. This much we saw in the build up to the general elections and aftermath.
There were campaigns of calumny among rival political parties, derogatory terms and comments were consciously and freely expressed by candidates and their spokespersons.
These, as the DSS rightly pointed out came in form of fake news, hate speech and bizarre narratives
After the Presidential Election was concluded and the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) declared the winner ,Bola Tinubu as the President-elect, hell broke loose in the camp of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and the Labour party ( LP) as candidates and their supporters called for the cancellation of the election as well as sack of the INEC National Chairman, over what they referred to as the failure of integrity test of the BVAS and IReV and other electoral malpractices.
It didn’t stop there. Days on, Leaders and supporters of the parties staged protests to INEC Headquarters and also engaged in street protests.
To crown it all, the parties in their usual tradition, released vengeful attackers to the media to attack the credibility of INEC, throw darts and repeated diatribes at offensive winners even where cases have been filed in courts to challenge the outcome of the election.
Yet it didn’t end there as the aggrieved persons who lost their chances through the ballot , with pride and ego brutally bruised following electioneering campaign sure victory assurances, carried on as though there was no government in place and the winner of the presidential election had no right to the throne.
Nigerians watched as political parties and their supporters threw caution and sanity in the wind and called for either Interim government or military rule to once again truncate the democracy that came with a heavy price.
It is saddening to believe that Nigerians after going through the crucible of military rule would resort to inviting those who cast the country into a wilderness of anguish and hopelessness to come back and push backwards, the little progress gained.
As things are, it is important to state that Nigeria cannot afford that circle of tyrannical rule any longer. This is because Nigerians, young and old crave for the best, they want a country where they can contribute in a meaningful way and their contributions recognised. They want their dreams of self actualisation fulfilled in practice not theory or mere rhetoric. Above all, they look forward to a country where there is unity, love and unconditional exercise of freedoms that help shape society.
It will be recalled that the DSS while cautioning politicians straying in grief over their loss at the polls told them “to abide by the rules of engagement as well as approach the courts for redress,If and where there are suspicions of infractions on extant laws “
The Agency noted ” it is evident that some aggrieved politicians are already taking advantage of this legal process” saying it is the beauty of democracy.
Truthfully, that is the best way and the right thing to do.
As a matter of fact, there is no gain in inciting violence
And making trouble because one’s preferred candidate didn’t scale through the ballot and given the certificate of return is retrogressive and catastrophic.
In truth,Never in the history of Nigeria except during the civil war, have such bile divisions occurred in the country.
For 62 years, We have existed as a single and united entity, imbibing the philosophy of being our brothers keepers, but the sights and signs nowadays show that all is not well, that something ominous is on the cliff, and it calls to question why it is so , when copiously, we are celebrating more than 20 years of uninterrupted democracy where we have had winners and losers without so much noise.
Recall that in 2015,Goodluck Jonathan,a sitting president was defeated. He had all in his powers to cancel the election or declare it inconclusive as some persons in his shoes would want to do but he didn’t. He simply conceded defeat and congratulated the winner.
That was a mark of sportsmanship , gallantry and salutary. It is not weakness , fear or stupidity.
Today, those who knew the law better,who have managed the affairs of state and federal levels, knowing the complexities of tribes and tongues, knowing the country’s diversity which luckily embroids in the beauty of unity and faith, peace and progress are at war with each other, they are at war with poor Nigerians who have no where to go to when the actual war begins.
For sure, those who live on the fringes of borders with neighboring countries have where to go to without hitches. For sure, those who have money know where to go to, but for the majority of Nigerians who are not lucky to have such escape routes and the wherewithal to take care of themselves, indeed, there’s is a lot of thinking to do.
Thankfully, the DSS has, by the warning shown that it is on its toes to do what is right. However,It should not be seen as an agency that could only bark and not bite as previous alarms threatening arrests of economic saboteurs and criminals never saw the light of day.
In the same vein, the police have issued statement against individuals and groups who disturb public peace . This is a welcome development that should ring in the ears of trouble makers without stop.
The warnings of the security agencies are coming at the right time though we are compelled to ask them if they have made arrests since they issued the warning as we are not in the know as protests on the outcome of the election still goes on unchallenged.
The question comes as there are still traces of demonstrations and a lot more reportedly coming soon.
And It appears that the government has deliberately allowed the frustration on the streets to go on for what purpose we do not know for now.
But the government forgets that where there is absence of government, there is lawlessness and chaos.
In this regard,can we really blame the government? President Muhammadu Buhari is tired and wants to go back to his farms in ,Daura, his home town.At least that he has said often times.
Looking deeply, those trying to make the country ungovernable are people who are very well made, not paupers. But they forget that they have their relaions here and good or bad, home is home and the best.
So, it is important for everyone to cherish what we have. Nigeria is a country of endless possibilities. It takes the trust of the people and a government of compassion and focus to take it to the Eldorado we crave for .
Let’s do what we can to solve our problems amicably within the ambits of the law. Let us not invite any form of trouble as we may regret doing so now or in the nearest future. We have seen and tried different types of government, the draconic, ( Military) Lamentation group ( Civilian) and the unpopular and lameduck ( Interim government) . Interestingly, all but civilian have conclusively waned or have their roots and branches completely cut off so any attempt to think, announce an unpopular government is a direct call for instability and this must be guided against if Nigeria should remain indivisible.
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