Democracy Day: Between June 12, 1993 and December 31, 1983

Lest we forget 40 years ago, there was also another similar truncation or abortion of democracy like the one of June 12th, 1993 that happened some 30 years ago which has been celebrated since June 12th, 2018!

Nigeria would have been celebrating 44 years (1979 – 2023) of unbroken democracy and democratic governance by October 1st, 2023 and not just 30 years this year (June 12th, 1993 – June 12th, 2023)!!

The truncation of the duly elected democratic government of late President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari (Turakin Sokoto) of blessed memory on December 31st, 1983 by a military junta under the leadership of the immediate former President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB), May 29th, 2015 – May 29th,  2023 is something to always remember as an intricate part of Nigeria’s  troubled journey to democratic governance from October 1st, 1979 to May 29th, 2023 and onwards.

Thus, if June 12th of every year is celebrated as Democracy Day to commemorate the sad day democracy was interrupted and murdered by the military junta led by Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, the now retired general, and his colleagues 30 years ago (June 12th, 1993 – June 12th,  2023), the nation must not forget to remember that, 10 years before June 12th, 1993, on December 31st, 1983 democracy was similarly and equally interrupted and murdered by the same military junta but under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari (also now a retired general) together with his junta colleagues, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), late retired generals Sani Abacha and Aliyu Muhammad Gusau, and several other senior and mid-level military officers.

Interestingly, however, the narrative behind the unconstitutional takeover by the military junta of the democratically elected government of late President Shehu Shagari on December 31st, 1983 is slightly different from the narrative behind the truncation of the most fairly and credibly conducted democratic election on June 12th, 1993 that was to produce late Moshood Abiola  as President, Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of Nigeria.

The difference between the two is that, one was a civilian democratic transition to a second tenure in office of a civilian democratically elected President, while the second case was a transition process from a military Head of State and  government to a civilian democratically elected President and government.

Now, the 40 years question is that why is the truncation by the military junta of late President Shagari’s Presidency and government not celebrated in the same context as the truncation by the military junta of the democratic election of June 12th, 1993?

It should also be pointed out that the same military junta that aborted the Second Republic were the same that aborted the stillborn Third Republic.

And, ironically, the same now ex-military junta that were involved in the truncation of both the Second and Third Republics respectively, together with their civilian accomplices at all times, were the ones that came together to usher the Fourth democratic Republic in 1999 to date.

Furthermore, they became the most beneficiaries of democracy and democratic governance; with two of them becoming democratically elected President, Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of Nigeria and serving two-term tenure each.