Atedo Peterside, the founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank, says the democracy that was delivered to Ni has said the democracy that was built initially in Nigeria is in great danger.
Peterside was speaking on Thursday at The Platform, a programme organised by Covenant Christian Centre to mark Nigeria’s independence anniversary.
“In my generation, about the only thing we delivered through activism was democracy. That democracy is in danger because we decide if and where we have free and fair elections,” he said.
“It must not only be free and fair elections in Edo state, it must be free and fair election everywhere. You cannot have a set of rules in Edo and have another set for other states.
“The easiest way to destroy democracy is for people who do not win elections to assume office. That is not the democracy we fought for and that’s the democracy our youths must fight for.”
Peterside called on the federal government, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the inspector general of police (IGP), the army and military to put pressure in ensuring that the democracy that was fought for is not tampered with or destroyed.
He also urged the youths in the country to focus their activism on reviving Nigeria’s democracy.
“The activism they (youths) have to focus on today is to get free and fair elections. Without free and fair elections, young people cannot participate in politics because they don’t have the tools and they are not the best regal,” Peterside said.
“The regal are those with the best learning, which are elderly people. They (youths) will have to dismantle all that so that it will only be those with the best ideas who win elections.”