How Buhari can end secession agitations — Annkio Briggs

• Environmental and human rights activist Annkio Briggs speaks on 22 years of uninterrupted democratic rule in Nigeria.

It has been 22 years of democracy in Nigeria; what do we have to celebrate?

We have nothing to celebrate. As Nigerians celebrate June 12 as democracy day and honour MKO Abiola, police that are to protect the rights of Nigerians to exercise their rights to protest are shot at. Where then is democracy?

Twenty-two years after the return of democracy and six years after some Nigerians accepted that this government will do better than the previous government, we go from one failure to another under a very autocratic cabal and government. The present government of Nigeria is not democratic, or trustworthy.

How can the challenges of governance be addressed?

The challenges of governance can only be addressed on the platform of justice, equity, ethnic rights and truth. Without these, the political class lies when they claim to have answers to the people’s questions, rights, development and security. The majority of the people in politics today have nothing to offer in real politics.

Why is the country sharply divided along various fault lines more than before 1999?

The country is more sharply divided today because from 1914 our leaders believed the lies that amalgamation was right; they went on to believe that independence from the colonial government alone was enough to answer the obvious ethnic rights questions. Amalgamation was wrong for some and right for some, sadly the voices of the ethnic nationalities were not heard nor our concerns and fears addressed or respected.

After independence, the injustice and oppression became very clear and were voiced especially from the defunct Eastern region, leading up to the uprising of a few hundred young men lead by Adaka Boro to wage a 12-day war against the six years old independent Nigeria in 1966.

The military coup, the pogrom and genocide of 1967, the deceit of Aburi, the war against the people of Eastern Nigeria today Niger Delta and of Alanigbo.

The declaration by General Yakubu Gowon at the end of the war in 1970 that there was no victor and no vanquished was not true. Fifty years after the war that killed millions of children and adults, properties etc, various coups later, 36 states (19 in the North and 17 in the South), lopsided representations at the National Assembly, unacceptable nepotism and forceful takeover of our rights, it is truly clear that Nigeria is not only divided but divided along lines of ethnicity, religion, culture, and region.

How can the government address the various agitations and insecurity in the country?

This government must first accept that it has failed in these six years, own their failure as this government convinced some Nigerians that it will do better than the government before it. This government promised or lied that it has the capacity to deal with insecurity in and out of Nigeria.

The agitation of the people must be addressed not swept under the carpet. This government must recognize that Nigeria belongs to the people and not to a few of them.

Do you see the 2023 elections holding?

In my view there is nothing on ground to show that there is a plan to hold free and fair elections in Nigeria in 2023, definitely, there will be a pretence at an election, the people will be taken for the worst election ride, even worse than what was done to Nigerians in 1993 that lead to the ultimate sacrifice of MKO Abiola and many others.

Is democracy the right system of government for Nigeria?

Democracy is the right system of government for Nigeria. Our problem is that most of the people who come to implement democracy don’t believe in democracy; some of the people who come to serve don’t have the honour, credibility and integrity to deliver democracy to us.