Nigerians displayed little enthusiasm Friday for a promise of democracy from a military regime that took over in a coup this week, then eliminated nearly all democratic institutions.
It's a promise they have heard before."Tragedy"' roared the Lagos newspaper Tell in a huge front-page headline. "Abacha sweeps off democracy."
Gen. Sani Abacha, who ousted the civilian puppet government of Ernest Shonekan on Wednesday, told the nation Thursday night he was dissolving the 30 state governments, the federal legislature, the civilian Cabinet and local councils. Each body will be filled by military appointees.
Abacha, 50, who helped engineer the coup that toppled the last elected government in 1983, also banned all political activity. He promised to convene a constitutional convention that would devise a new democratic system, but the process could take years.
"This regime will be firm, humane and decisive," he said in a television address. "Any attempt to test our will will be decisively dealt with."
His promises of democracy echoed those made by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida when Abacha helped him take power in yet another coup in 1985.
Babangida gradually allowed local and state elections and then held a presidential ballot on June 12, which he voided four days later. It was to be the final step in the much-delayed process of returning Africa's most populous nation to civilian government.