DR GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN IS A TRUE AFRICAN DEMOCRAT - ONYEKABA CHIOMA ROSEMARY

Days past, Weeks turned into months and Months into Years but finally today, our current democratic culture can now parade itself amongst other developed cultures all because of the existence of true democracy in Nigeria. It is no longer history, that Nigeria did not evolve on its own into a democratic society without so much tussle and bustle and that as a nation, our experience of colonization which by implication resulted to our democracy is an imported entity and as such one cannot expect Nigerians to run back into the arms of Slavery.

Given the above fact, it is clear that an undemocratic system cannot be allowed to thrive in this country again because nothing can be compared to the dividends of democracy in a democratic society as ours.it is a home grown system of government and as such does not deserve to get into the hands of those who have never appreciated its worth.

This fourth republic been the longest democratic dispensation in Nigerian political history, saw a number of Khaki boys hungry for power, interrupt subsequent democratic dispensation in the past. And as a matter of fact, most of Nigeria's failures can be traced back to the military regime in Nigeria as institutions were weakened to the core during these period of terror, mediocrity and impunity.


When former President Obasanjo took over power in 1999 as a civilian president, What Nigerians experienced was a civilian regime and not a democratic government as he also failed to remove his military toga in the real sense as most of his decisions and policies were characterized with military tendencies especially as he mercilessly fought political leaders who challenged some of his unpopular judgments as exemplified in the way and manner he handled state of emergencies in some states which nearly threw Nigeria into civil unrest. We should also recall how two different towns into two states were nearly wiped out by the military under OBJ's watch as he gave the hatchet order. No one dared speak ill of him during his regime and after failing to make himself a life president through the third term agenda he handed over to President Yar'adua who died in power and by share providence, President GEJ became the first true civilian  President of Nigeria from South-South extraction.

 As a man who has made humility his best friend, he didn't waste time to immediately sign the FoI Bill into law in Nigeria. (A Bill which was sat upon by OBJ who is now fighting against this administration claiming that this government is using government apparatus to intimidate opposition simply because he has been given no space to control the government, a tendency which he[OBJ] has penchant for).

It was under GEJ that state of emergency was declared in three states owing to insurgency without touching the democratic institutions put in place by the people not minding the fact that these three states were controlled by the opposition party that so vehemently criticized the federal government. This singular act portrays Mr President as a man who has immense respect for the rule of law and the tenets of democratic values and cultures.

Again, the GEJ's government paved way for a strong opposition party which serves as a watchdog of government not minding the implication, although the opposition party so far has abused all the privileges given them as they resorted to indulging in activities that is capable of creating anarchy just to capture power at all means. This administration strengthened institutions with the executive having little or no influence on what is obtainable in those bodies even when most decisions taken by this institutions affect negatively the interest of the presidency. This is exemplified in the way and manner independent institutions like INEC, The Judiciary which is the third arm of government, etc are being left to make their own decisions. It is also in this era that one has experienced freedom of speech and women empowerment.

Conclusively,we have not recorded any illegal political imprisonments and killings under GEJ's watch and Today, Nigeria leads other African countries economically and is among the few countries to economically be ahead of Britain in few decades. All these mentioned above and other sundry democratic strides not captured here attained by the administration of Dr Goodluck Azikiwe Jonathan conditioned me to christen him the True  African Democrat. He is a man to be emulated and re-elected.

LONG LIVE NIGERIA!
LONG LIVE THE PRESIDENT!