Democracy Day: Atiku Calls For Accelerated Electoral Reform
As Nigeria celebrates Democracy Day, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, on Friday said that there is an urgent need for electoral reforms that will address the lapses in elections conducted in the country.
Abubakar in a statement titled “My Message To Nigerians On The Occasion Of The 21st Anniversary Of Democracy Day”, which was released via his Twitter account, said that the electoral process needed to be improved to ensure that votes are not only counted but that they do count.
He also urged Nigerian leaders to canonize the memories of the heroes of democracy by extending the application of democracy to good governance.
The statement reads” The celebration of Democracy Day is a confirmation of our collective struggles towards a system of participatory government and acceptance of the primacy of the rule of law.
“Along the line in the struggle which has continued for decades, many compatriots paid the ultimate price.
“Just like the late Bashorun MKO Abiola continues to be the symbol of the June 12 struggle, there are many others like the late Chief Alfred Rewane; my mentor, Tafida Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola and a lot more who paid a price by losing their lives so that we can have a democracy.
“Yet there are so many other heroes who remain unsung and these are Nigerians who have fallen victims of bad governance.
“While we may have a day dedicated to celebrating democracy, it remains saddening that we have not delivered good governance to our people to be happy over.
“Between 1999 to the present time, our democracy has thrown up all shades of characters at the leadership levels.
“Many, if not all of them have tried their best to deliver good governance to the country.
