From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it was distasteful and unacceptable to observe the Democracy Day celebration under an administration that desecrated the tenets of democracy during the 2023 general elections.
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, yesterday, charged Nigerians to use this year’s Democracy Day to increase the demand for the entrenchment of democratic tenets in the country.
The opposition party alleged that the manipulations of the 2023 general elections by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was an unpardonable assault and rape of democracy, as well as a disregard for the will of the people, which late Chief MKO Abiola fought and died for.
The party said “June 12 epitomizes the struggle by Nigerians against corrupt, manipulative and anti-democratic system; against injustice, impunity and electoral fraud which INEC, under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu now represents. It is indeed heartrending that all the steady progress and gains made by successive PDP administrations in reforming our electoral system have been completely wiped off by INEC in the conduct of the 2023 general elections. Our party however urges Nigerians not to despair but remain optimistic and law-abiding in their hope for a better nation which they earnestly yearn for. The PDP charges all the leaders at all level across the country to be guided by the essence of June 12 by always adhering to the principles of democracy in the overall interest of the Nigerians people.”