DICTATORSHIP UNDER THE COVER OF DEMOCRACY.

By Ama Chukwugoziem (Abia writers)
Edited by Livingrich Ezeikpe
Going by the definitions of the terms, the two systems of government are opposed to each other. Democracy deals with elected representatives of the people while dictatorship deals with the use of force.
 Since the ages of invasion, Biafrans have been at the loosing end. The amalgamation has never been in favour of Biafrans rather of the northerners. It was done to help the north with the surplus from Biafraland, at all times. President Muhammadu Buhari staged a coup d'etat in 1983 against a democratically elected government of former president Alh.Usman Aliyu Shehu Shagari, during which time the khaki boys subjugated many Nigerians to different types of inhuman treatment. Nigerians went through hell throughout that period of his military junta.

Now that he is transformed into a civilian ruler, he remains a dictator. His behaviour when he presented the budget to the National Assembly is a case in point. He couldn't dialogue with the house. He equally made himself the minister of petroleum just like his fellow dictator Olusegun Obasanjo (rtd). He formed what is known as a single treasury account where all the monies collected go into a single purse. The national assembly (Senate) refused to pass that bill, he made it clear that there was no going back on his decision.

A leader who has respect for the people ought to be guided when commenting on a matter before a court of law. During his first media briefing, he prejudged the case of the leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu before the world.

 The failure of Buhari administration to respect the rule of law has partly been responsible for some of the violence Nigerians have been experiencing all through his administration not to talk of his constant clash with the Senate. To make matters worse, he could not obey two court rulings by Abuja magistrate court and federal high court presided over by Justice Adeniyi Ademola, to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally. Not only that, the former national security adviser to the former president Goodluck Jonathan Col.Dasuki Sambo has been granted bail but he refused to release him from the custody of the DSS.

For a democratic government to disregard court decisions does not indicate readiness to build a society on the rule of law and justice. From several actions of president Buhari led administration, one cannot but conclude that Nigeria is running a democracy by dictatorial fiat, not quite different from what was obtained during his military dictatorship. The Buhari administration must be seen to be disgracing the laws, which he swore to protect and defend by flagrantly disrespecting court decisions.

The popular outcries of marginalization by some sections of the country portray him as a leader who is not sensitive to the feelings of the people. Defending his actions, concerning the appointments of his kitchen cabinet, he said that, they are the ones he has confidence to work with. Tribalism, nepotism and corruption everywhere nothing is moving at all.

 What happened in Borno state, the sit of the terrorist Boko Haram was far less in scale than what is currently happening in Biafraland, Abia state, precisely Umuahia the hometown of the Leader of the indigenous people of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. The army rolled out tanks armoured personnel carriers and other military hardware. They even flew jet fighters and military helicopters over Aba and Umuahia.

Going by the several media reports, the main reason behind the operation python dance 11 was to assassinate Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, which undoubtedly inflicted heavy causalities on the members of IPOB at Eze Okwu Kanu's compound, courtesy Buhari. His utterances also do not help matters. While addressing Nigerians, he is full of hate speeches and one-sided talk. Biafrans are only asking for a referendum, Self-determination.