As Nigerians marked Democracy Day on June 12, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) issued a strong statement calling on citizens to rise against what it described as the anti-democratic agenda of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The opposition party warned of a plot by the APC to impose a “despotic one-party regime” in the country.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP accused the APC of dismantling key democratic institutions and stifling political opposition.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) calls on Nigerians to use the occasion of the June 12 Democracy Day to re-awaken and strengthen their resistance to the anti-democratic designs of the All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly the plot to foist a despotic One-Party regime in Nigeria,” the party said.
The PDP appealed to Nigerians and democratic institutions both local and international to defend the rule of law and civil liberties.
“The PDP urges Nigerians, Institutions of Democracy, Organized Civil Society, Development Partners and indeed all lovers of democracy to unite in speaking out against the stifling of democratic tenets of justice, the Rule of Law, free, fair, peaceful credible electoral process and the right of citizens particularly to freely participate in politics and governance in Nigeria.”
The opposition party also alleged that poverty is being deliberately used by the APC as a political weapon to manipulate the populace.
“The PDP is alarmed by the anti-democratic actions of the APC government which continues to use compromised state apparatus of powers and control to brazenly violate the Constitution, emasculate opposition, defy and abridge the liberty of the citizens to freely elect their leaders, corrupt and manipulate Institutions of Democracy, asphyxiate the media and weaponise poverty, all in the attempt to impose a defeatist mentality on the people and turn our nation into a fiefdom and personal estate of few individuals in power.”
It further criticized what it described as an unaccountable presidency, colluding with compromised officials in the National Assembly and Judiciary.
“More distressing is that the APC-led Presidency has remained unaccountable while colluding with the corrupt, rubber stamp APC leadership in the National Assembly and certain compromised Judicial officers at very high places to undermine the sovereignty of the people ostensibly to clear the path for a totalitarian system in our country.”
The PDP pointed to recent political events as signs of erosion of democracy, including the crisis in Rivers State and the disputed Edo State governorship election.
“The brazen resort to State Capture as exemplified in the subversion of the Will of the people in the 2024 Edo State Governorship election, the widely condemned overthrow of a democratically elected government and imposition of a Sole Administrator in Rivers State in blatant violation of the clear provisions of the 1999 Constitution among other Constitutional infractions signpost a clear and present danger to our democracy,” the statement said.
The party emphasized that June 12 should symbolize the struggle for true democracy, and urged citizens to defend their democratic rights.
“June 12 Democracy Day, therefore, embodies the struggle by Nigerians against an oppressive, despotic and lawless system driven by impunity, high-level deception and reckless anti-people tendencies as being witnessed under the APC administration.”
“It also represents the insistence by Nigerians for a system that is accountable to the people, operates on the Rule of Law and democratic principles of freedom, justice, fairness, equity, credible elections, national cohesion, transparency and accountability in government, which Chief MKO Abiola personified and died for.”
The PDP also called on the ruling party to honour Chief MKO Abiola’s legacy by respecting democratic norms.
“The PDP therefore demands that the APC administration respects the memory of Chief Abiola, the law and sovereignty of the Nigerian people by adhering to the Principle of Separation of Powers, end the intrusion in the activities of the National Assembly and other Democracy Institutions, particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Judiciary, allow for a free press, commit to credible elections, be truthful, transparent and review all its poverty weaponising policies.”
“Against this backdrop, our Party demands that the National Assembly, the Judiciary and INEC assert their Constitutional Independence and operate only on the basis of the Rule of Law and the collective interest of the people in the promotion of the tenets of democracy.”
In its Democracy Day message, the party congratulated Nigerians and called for vigilance.
“The PDP however congratulates Nigerians on this year’s Democracy Day and urges them not to allow the vicious plot of any individual or group to destroy their confidence in Democracy but remain law-abiding and continue to rally with the PDP as we reposition ahead of the 2027 elections to rescue our nation from the stranglehold of the APC.”
