Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate in 2023, Prince Adewole Adebayo, said military rule is not an alternative to the poor governance in Nigeria’s current democratic system.
Adebayo, in a tweet on his official handle @Pres_Adebayo, said the military is neither good for itself nor the society as everything dies under it, including the nation’s soul.
He spoke against the backdrop of recent back and forth over return of military rule.
According to him, “the military should never return. The press should be the last Estate to succumb to amnesia if others forget. We have dissatisfaction with the government of the day.
“We have problems in every sector where we ought to be thriving in but one thing we have going for us is that we have a blank cheque of democratic processes we can cash whenever we are ready to approach the Bank of Democracy with honest credentials.
He recalled that media houses suffered under military rule, recounting how a media founder was shot in the course of defending the rights Nigerians take for granted today.
The former presidential candidate admitted that the Tinubu administration has led to a bad economy, adding however that it wasn’t enough for military take over, rather,” use the ballot”.
Said he: “Down with the government of @officialABAT should only mean that we want to use the ballot and the bully pulpit of civil society to effect a change of government and a change of direction.
“A new civilian government should be the only means of replacing the present government no matter what our level of dissatisfaction is. I am not prepared to live another term under the present government, hence my hard work on the street to electioneer @OfficialAPCNg and @OfficialPDPNig out of power democratically.
“No matter what is at stake, military rule is ruled out. It is neither good for the military nor for society. Everything dies under military rule, including the Soul of the Nation.
That elections are not free and fair is no excuse to return to 400 year captivity in Egypt. That is the new frontier for our democratic struggle.
“It is the Red Sea we have to cross. And when we reach the Promised Land, we still have the Philistines to fight. Only cowardice and amnesia can sound like lullabies of the junta. God forbid! Nigeria is destined for democracy. And so shall it be,” he stated.
