Military delivered death, Nigerians must reject such intervention – Chidoka

Former Aviation Minister, Mr Osita Chidoka has accused the military of delivering death, killing Kudirat Abiola, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Alfred Rewane and many others.

Chidoka charged Nigerians to reject the call for any form of military intervention.

Speaking at the 60th birthday National Dialogue in honour of Prof Udenta O. Udenta on Tuesday, he said Nigerians should fight for the deepening of democracy in the country.

The former minister stressed that military intervention would not augur well for the country.

A statement by Chidoka’s sokesman, Ikechukwu Okafor quoted him as saying “The military delivered death, killed Kudirat Abiola, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Alfred Rewane, and many others. They muzzled the press and destroyed our national institutions like NLC, NANS, and religious organisations. Their record of economic outcomes was abysmal and set the stage for poverty in the land.

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“The mood in the country is reminiscent of 1993 when the democratic movements, labour, and leading political parties called for military intervention to remove Ernest Shonekan and install MKO Abiola after a coup. That was a strategic error that brought Gen Abacha to power and the consequential damage, death, arrest, imprisonment, and forced exile that followed. Let us not repeat that mistake.

“I was a young student activist and attended some of the meetings where the decision to support a military intervention in 1993 was canvassed. After Abacha came to power and the struggle to reinstate democracy started, mayhem was let loose on civil society and politicians.

“I located Fred Eno, Abiola’s Personal Assistant in Enugu Prison months after he was arrested without any information. Our late Chancellor at Eastern Mandate Union Dr. Arthur Nwankwo and Prof Udenta were in detention when Gen. Abacha died. All those who supported the military intervention in 1993 paid dearly for it.

“Democracy is our best option. Nigerians should reject calls for military intervention as it would not augur well for the country.”