Friday, 30 May 2008

Happy Democracy Day Nigeria


Today is Democracy day in Nigeria.It celebrates the handing over of power from the military to the people but you will be hard pressed to find many outside of the political elite celebrating.

sadly there is nothing much to celebrate. Our country is in perpetual darkness, our roads are worse than ever and security of lives and property has never been worse...all in an era of crude-at-$130-per-barrel says Chikwe Ihekweazu writing on Africa Path.com and an editorial on All Africa sums up the situation well

May 29 may be Nigeria's "Democracy Day", but it is celebrated only in the imagination of some pseudo-democrats. The last democratic election held in Nigeria was the one conducted by the Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar-led military government in 1999. Since then, there has been a crisis of democrats: our leaders have been selected, not elected; the will of the people as expressed in their votes no longer counts.


One year ago Yar'Adua won 70% of the vote in elections that observers from the European union said were not credible.He gave seven major agenda items which he would be addressed.Power and Energy,,Food Security and Agriculture,Wealth Creation and Employment,Mass Transportation,Land Reform,Security and Education

One year on there is very little to show and according to the Economist

A year after coming to power, Umaru Yar'Adua is finding it increasingly difficult to fulfil his campaign pledge of tackling Nigeria's endemic corruption.

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