Prince Uche Secondus, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has warned that Nigeria’s democracy is teetering on the edge due to the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) alleged destruction of democratic institutions.
In a statement released Tuesday, Secondus condemned the APC’s handling of the recent Edo State governorship election, describing it as “electoral fraud” with blatant disregard for the rule of law and voters’ rights.
Secondus expressed alarm over APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje’s boast to replicate the Edo election strategy in upcoming elections in Ondo and Anambra.
This, he believes, indicates the APC’s intention to silence opposition and establish a one-party state.
Secondus urged Nigerians to prioritise transparency, accountability, and free and fair elections to safeguard democracy.
He also called on international observers to take note of the APC’s actions and their implications for Nigeria’s democratic future.
The statement partly read, “From the results of all the off-cycle elections conducted in Imo, Kogi, and Edo, the Mahmoud Yakubu-led Independent National Electoral Commission has shown no remorse for the disgraceful conduct of the 2023 election, which threw Nigeria under the bus.
“The beauty of democracy lies in opposing voices that check the ruling party, but the APC is set to ruin Nigeria with their misrule and won’t tolerate dissenting views.
“Nigeria’s democracy is teetering on the edge because of election rigging. If the Edo election stands, it will be difficult to conduct future elections in Nigeria.
“The manipulation of the Edo election was blatant, beginning with the harassment and arrest of opposition leaders, as well as the compromise of key players, such as security agencies and electoral officials. The world is watching the disgrace we bring to this beautiful system of government, which other nations use to stabilise and develop their countries.”
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