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“The West has an
obsession with the Greek democracy and that obsession they want to
impose on the third world in a hurry” however this will not work in the
third world countries where many democratically elected governments are
running their countries aground.

This was the focal
point of former Pakistani president; Pervez Musharaf as the keynote
speaker at the 12th session of the Osigwe Anyiam Osigwe lecture series
in Lagos on Friday, titled Democracy as holism: that the dove may be
set free in our land (Political stability, security, peace and
socio-economic development as integrals of democracy).

Mr Musharaf
explained that “democracy must be tailored to the dictates of the local
terrain of a country,” warning that “democracy does not end at the
conducting a free and fair election, as the West always supports.”

“Democracy is about ensuring security, equity and balance of welfare for the people in a state” he said.

Citing Pakistan as
an example, he noted that due to series of war the country has fought
in its history, the Pakistani army wields enormous power and control of
the country till this day.

“The army is such
an institution that ordinary Pakistani run to whenever there is a
problem.” He therefore called for the Pakistani military to have “a
constitutionally instituted role in the governance of the country where
it can make its voice known in issues affecting the country. This he
claimed was the reason why he set-up the National Security Council
(NSC) which was composed of the President, Prime Minister, four
military chiefs, members of the opposition parties and key economic
drivers.

The former military
ruler who seized power via a coup d’état stated that “I have been the
most adamant supporter of democracy in Pakistan” claiming that his role
in the last nine years has been to institute sustainable democracy in
Pakistan and national security.

Militancy, extremism, terrorism and conflict with India

Comparing Nigeria
with Pakistan, Mr Musharaf noted that both nations shared number of
things in common with the challenges of ethnic, tribal and religious
diversities. He noted that these diversities have warranted the
development of militancy in the countries. He said militancy can only
be addressed by “developing the underdeveloped regions using a holistic
approach by striking the root-cause of the unrest else the militancy
will continue to brew. The military tactic can be used for those that
are rebellious it will not work sustainable.

On terrorism, the
former president highlighted the failure of the coalition forces (US,
NATO and Pakistan) to consolidate on the success achieved with the
defeat of the Taliban in 2002, has led to the resurgence of the Taliban
and pockets of Al-Qaeda forces around the world.

As the nation
prepares a general election in the next six months, Mr Musharaf who
recently launched a new political in the United Kingdom-where he is on
a self-imposed exile-made it known that to address the issue of voter’s
apathy, he will be “reaching out to the over 60 per cent of eligible
voters in Pakistan who do not vote.” Noting, that this range of people
consists of women and youths who are predominantly from the
middle-class, he stated that these are the class of people he will be
reaching out because “these people will not vote on tribal or ethnical
prejudice but make a sound decision on who is right to get their vote.”
He enjoined the developing world to reach out to these voters who will
not willingly vote. He suggested that Nigerian politicians too should
employ this strategy.

The Nigerian
President, represented at the lecture by Minister of State for
Information, Labaran Maku, used the occasion to again affirm that his
administration will ensure that the forth coming polls will be the
cleanest and freest election in the history of the poll.

Explaining why a former military leader who seized power through a
coup d’état was brought to speak on democracy and security, Mike Anyiam
Osigwe; the coordinator of Osigwe’s foundation stated that “most
leaders are more sober and reflective outside their terms in office;
hence the use of the insights of these leaders will be beneficial to
the world.”