Former Military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, said yesterday that soldiers cannot return to power because military rule is outdated.
He noted that in the last 25 years, democratic rule has survived the onslaught of reactionary forces.
Gen. Abdulsalami said he was proud of laying a solid foundation by handing over power to civilian authorities.
Urging Nigerians and the political parties to nurture the tree of democracy, the former military leader said: “There is no alternative to civil rule.’’
Gen. Abdulsalami spoke at the launch of a book titled: “100 Years of Political Parties Evolution in Nigeria, 1923 – 2023’’ by the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Abuja.
The former head of state, who was represented by Gen. Abdulrasheed Aliyu, spoke on “100 years of political parties’ evolution in Nigeria – The imperative of Nigeria’s political stability: issues and solutions.”
Echoing Gen. Abdulsalami, who chaired the event, House of Representatives Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, said strong political parties and opposition were vital for good governance.
Also, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, urged political parties to promote internal democracy.
Gen. Abdulsalami said the fact that democracy has survived in the country for 25 years attested to Nigerians’ resilience and belief in representative governance.
