SIR: The Department of State Services (DSS) has confirmed plots by some political actors to force an interim government on Nigeria. It said the plots are being planned through the use of protests and court orders to truncate the transition of power from this administration to the next.
Interim government is an aberration to our laws. The first and only time we ever had an interim government in Nigeria was in 1993. It was introduced by the military who were usurpers of power themselves and thus an illegality in a constitutional democracy. So we can say that an illegality birthed another illegality. And it failed woefully in its mandate. The Interim National Government headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan only succeeded in returning the military to power. The military returnees headed by the maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha, became the worst government in our political history.
It beats my mind that anyone would clamour for an interim government so soon after an election. Those who are aggrieved over the outcome of the polls should head to the courts as it is done in advanced democracies of the world where they love to cite as examples in their speeches. Democracy is the tyranny of the majority over the minority and the majority spoke loud and clear with their votes on February 25. The noisy minority do not own the country.
Those political actors who are misleading the youths should desist from doing so. A few days ago, a video emerged on social media showing some youths kneeling before the Defence Headquarters in Abuja begging the military to take over power. It is obvious that most of these ignorant and misguided youths were either not born or were in diapers during the era of military rule in Nigeria.
Do they think that they will have the same freedom to protest or run their mouths amok on social media under a military government? Where in the world today are people clamouring for military rule? If only they knew how many brilliant and patriotic Nigerians lost their lives just for expressing opposing views under military rule, they would cease from being willing tools in the hands of selfish and unpatriotic elements who do not wish good upon our country.
These plots against Nigeria will not succeed. Past predictions of doom have failed. But our security agencies need to be up and doing. I commend the DSS for exposing this plot to truncate our democracy. Hopefully, it will put fear in the hearts of the plotters and cause them to desist from going ahead with their evil plans.
•Peter Ovie Akus,
New Jersey, USA.