NIGERIA: The Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised fresh concerns over what it described as growing threats to Nigeria’s democratic process, warning the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other key national institutions against actions that could undermine the country’s political stability.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the opposition party alleged that recent political developments point to “clear orchestrations and manipulation” targeted at weakening opposition parties ahead of future elections.
The party said the nation’s political climate had been “unnecessarily raised to near-fever levels,” warning that, like the human body, society could either adjust or “break down” under sustained pressure.
The PDP accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of pursuing electoral victory “at all costs,” alleging that such ambition risks eroding democratic norms and institutions.
According to the statement, “no boundary is respected, and nothing is too much to sacrifice, including derailing democracy, truncating the republic, and destroying Nigeria.”
The opposition party further expressed concern that institutions traditionally regarded as neutral arbiters, including the judiciary and INEC, were being drawn into partisan contests.
Particularly, the PDP faulted INEC’s recent position on the derecognition of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by David Mark, describing the commission’s interpretation of court judgments as troubling.
While acknowledging that legal texts may admit varying interpretations, the party argued that INEC’s positions in political matters often appear to favour what it termed a “prevailing notion of an uncontested election.”
“In such circumstances, ulterior motives cannot be discounted,” the statement noted.
The PDP also drew attention to a series of political party monitoring activities recently published by INEC. Though conceding that such actions fall within the commission’s statutory mandate, it questioned their timing, warning that they could culminate in the deregistration of opposition parties.
Such a development, the party cautioned, would further weaken Nigeria’s democratic fabric.
The party, therefore, called on INEC and other national institutions to resist partisan pressures and act in the broader interest of the country.
“They must place the interests of democracy and the country above all else,” the statement said, urging institutions to draw lessons from history, where officials in past republics faced lasting reputational consequences for actions perceived as anti-democratic.
Describing the current moment as critical in Nigeria’s democratic journey, the PDP warned against testing the patience of citizens, stressing the need for a “country-first” approach that transcends political divisions.
“This is a critical moment in our democratic journey, where the fragility and vulnerability of the polity are being tested to their limits,” the statement added.
The party called for restraint and national unity, expressing hope that both Nigeria and its democracy would endure the present challenges.
The Guardian
