Democracy Day: Politicians should bury their heads in shame — nothing to celebrate, says I Go Dye

I Go Dye, the Nigerian comedian, says there is nothing worth celebrating as the country marks another Democracy Day. 

In 2018, Muhammadu Buhari, the immediate-past president, declared June 12 as the new Democracy Day to celebrate MKO Abiola.

Abiola had won the June 12, 1993 presidential election but the exercise was annulled by Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), former head of state.

Many had criticised the military and the IBB government over the annulment.

But reflecting on this year’s Democracy Day, I Go Dye said “nothing has really changed since 1993 which has given room to this democracy celebration”.

In an Instagram post on Monday, the comedian said politicians in the country “should bury their heads in shame” for the current state of the nation.

“Democracy in Nigeria is not a system of government by the population of the state. It’s government of political parties by the interest of party members and the cabals, whose main intention is to subvert our collective resources against the people,” he wrote.

“Unfortunately, majority of those who condemned the 1993 presidential election are doing worst than the military rule by IBB, because since the aftermath of June 12th, democracy has been murdered in Nigeria, votes are bought, voters are bullied, shoot at polling units, with massive manipulation of results in favor of losers.

“I feel politicians should bury their heads in shame because nothing good to write about our democratic institutions, nothing has really changed since 1993 which has given room to this democracy celebration.

“Indeed, what is evident, it’s a complete break down of law and order and we must make sure we point out the ills of social injustice against the electorates.”

The comedian, born Francis Agoda, has been vocal about politics and leadership in the country.

In 2018, he said said Nigerian political parties should accept that they have failed.