BAYO AGBOOLA from Ibadan writes on the insistence of some groups and eminent citizens to discountenance the calls for an Interim National Government in the country to ensure that the May 29 handover date becomes a reality
As Nigerians await the May 29 handover date, more groups and eminent citizens have continued to raise their voices in support of the nation’s growing democracy by condemning the call for setting up of an interim government in the country.
The plausible argument in favour of the swearing in date is that the 2023 general elections have come and gone with the winners of the presidential and other elections announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Amid the call for an interim government, activities are, however, on top gear at the federal and state levels towards ushering in new administrations to run the affairs of governments at the two tiers of government in the country, at least, for the next four years as from May 29, this year.
Specifically, at present, transition committees are fully in place to ensure smooth transition of governments.
Olubadan says May 29 sacrosanct
One of those distinguished Nigerians rising against the call in the recent time is the Olubadan of Ibadanland and a former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Oba Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II who minced no words in condemning the call.
Oba Lekan Balogun while speaking at his Alarere, Ibadan residence during a visit to him by the Amalgamated APC Support Groups (AASG) in South-West, described the proponents of an interim government in Nigeria now as “undemocratic set of people whose calls are irritating.”
Oba Balogun stressed that as far as he is concerned, with less than
a month to the inauguration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the President of the country, there was no basis whatsoever for a call for an interim government in Nigeria for now with the conclusion of the 2023 general elections.
To him, those behind such a clamour at this crucial period are pure anti-democratic elements.
For the Olubadan of Ibadanland, such calls portrayed Nigeria as a country with no respect for democracy, law and order and a place where anything goes which are in truth and fairness not the real definition of “who we are as a people.
He further said, “Nigerians generally are decent and orderly people and firm believer in the rule of law. Those few elements calling for interim government are anti-democratic and unpatriotic”.
“I’m a democrat, even if my sworn enemy wins an election, tenets of democracy call for my acceptance of the victory and to allow the winner to prove himself either as a bad or good choice.
“Nigerians chose Bola Tinubu and he deserves every right to exercise the mandate given to him. Whether he will do well or not is up to him and we have four years by our constitution to weigh him. So, why the call for cancellation of his election?”
Oba Lekan Balogun emphasised among others that “Such a call is undemocratic and irritating to say the least. I have not closely worked with him, but, from what I have seen and read of him, he is a fantastic human being in whom I have no doubt that he will govern us well”.
Amalgamated APC Support group
The Amalgamated APC Support Groups (AASG) in South-West Director of Community Engagement and Civil Societies Directorate (CECS) Comrade Amor Taofeek on his part said the reason his group oranised the rally was to receive Olubadan’s blessings and to let the outside world know that “our royal fathers in the South-West are on the same page with us in our opposition to the anti-democratic forces ready to plunge the country into another needless crisis.
“We are not too young not to remember the trauma the country was thrown into in 1993 as a result of the criminal annulment of the election won by the late Bashorun MKO Abiola which lasted till 1999 and we are saying no to those forces of retrogression and retardation this time around. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu won his election squarely and nobody should be allowed to truncate the almost completed process”.
According to Comrade Taofeek, “the process will be completed with the inauguration on the 29th of this month and that’s why we are here Kabiyesi. We have moved round the city to sensitize our people on the need to be vigilant and ready to counter the anti-democratic forces willing to derail the process.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us and the mandate given to Asiwaju must be defended by all people of good conscience, that’s our plea.”
Afenifere concerned
The Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere minced no words in warning against any step capable of jeopardizing the handing over of the rein of power to elected officers on May 29, 2023, stressing that the warning was prompted by reports of steps being taken that may be prejudicial to the swearing-in of winners of the just concluded elections come May 29th and that such steps included the attempts to rubbish the outcome of the said elections, especially, the presidential election that took place on February 25th this year.
Afenifere in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi maintained that the organisation felt so concerned about the untoward development.
The Yoruba socio-cultural group warned those who are fanning embers of non-inauguration to be aware that the monster being courted would affect not only the presidency to be headed by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu but “the disruption will affect all other tiers of government as well, governors at the state level, the legislatures at the national and state levels and perhaps the local government areas”.
“There is, therefore, the need to exercise a lot of caution. The laws of the land created avenues to seek redress when we are aggrieved. We enjoin those who may not be satisfied with the outcome of the concluded elections to seek redress through the established channels and not through any other means.
“It is also important to let members of the public realise that anything short of following due process, particularly, in the swearing-in of winners of the just concluded elections, constitutes grave dangers for the country. This must not be accepted or encouraged at all because of its dire consequences.”
It also warned the Judiciary not to entertain cases that may be brought to derail the hard-earned civil rule and thus scuttle our democracy.
According to Afenifere, “the successful conclusion of a general election this year has provided the country another opportunity to re-invent itself”, adding, “we believe that the government that will be formed at the expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari administration on May 29 this year will open new (positive) vistas for the country.
“The new government, a product of the process created by the Nigerian Constitution that is the electoral process, elicits hope of a new lease of life because of the acrimonious air and near despondence in the the land.
Afenifere continued, “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu of All Progressives Congress (APC) the President-elect.
“Presently, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Mr. Peter Obi of Labour Party, first and second runners-up in the presidential election are challenging Tinubu’s victory in the court.
“But going by the law of the land and experiences in the past, the fact that such cases are in the court cannot stop the inauguration. Meaning that a new government should take over in Nigeria come May 29. Changes can come later if the courts so decided”.
With May 29 closely around, Nigerians especially lovers of democracy and the country in general are raising hope that come rain, come sunshine, it shall be well for Nigeria.
