A political scientist and speaker at the 39th public lecture on “Bullet
versus Ballot: Interrogating Nigeria’s 4th Republic Electoral’s
Consultations,” Prof. Adekunle Amuwo, said former President Olusegun
Obasanjo failed Nigeria during his tenure.
The lecture was organised by the Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State.
Amuwo,
who claimed he had full knowledge of how Obasanjo emerged the President
of the country in 1999, said that the former President’s rule was the
genesis of the level of corruption currently being experienced in the
country.
While saying the Peoples Democratic Party had not moved
Nigeria forward for an inch, he described Jonathan’s rule as the legacy
Obasanjo left behind.
Describing the current political situation
as crucial and critical in the history of the country, he urged the
electorate to change the fortune of the country by choosing the ‘ballot’
rather than the ‘bullet.’
He said, “We are in a democracy run by
professional non-democrats — men and women who have the financial
muscle to ‘outmuscle’ the electorate and the rest of the country because
about 70 per cent of the population of Nigeria is poor.
“In
2001, Obasanjo promised Nigeria would enjoy 24/7 power supply, but he
failed. His election in 1999 was massively flawed. He just had to win
and Olu Falae had to lose.
“He represented the Western powers and
Africa and did a lot for the two groups by providing an enabling
business environment for them to thrive. But he did little for Nigeria.
“He had all the powers to tame the monster of corruption in the country, but he did not do anything.
“Things
have become so bad that the United States now threatens that if we
don’t compose ourselves, they would not give us visas. It’s ridiculous.”
Stating
that no reforms had been taking place since President Goodluck Jonathan
emerged the country’s leader, Amuwo said there is structural violence
against the electorate.
“Nigeria can recover. However, the ballot should be used to do this instead of the bullet,” he said.
