The main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday held its emergency National Executive Committee meeting (NEC) and expressed serious concern over the Supreme Court judgment, which sacked Emeka Ihedioha as governor of Imo state with a promise to seek legal action against the Apex Court to review the case.
The Party which vowed to pursue the legal action to a logical conclusion also called for the total overhauling of the nation’s electoral process through proper amendment of the Electoral Act ahead of the future elections in the country
Addressing the meeting, the former Vice President and PDP Presidential candidate in the 2019 election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar charged Nigerians to reincarnate the struggle that brought about the democracy of today that “the APC governing party is threatening.”
According to him, “our party governed very well from 1999 up to 2015. As true democrats, we conceded power to the opposition in the hope that it will further entrench democracy development and unity, but, alas Nigerians have been proved wrong by the governing APC.”
While calling on Nigerians to resist the threat to democracy, Atiku said, “it has become very necessary for us to mobilise Nigeria to resists the threat to our democracy, unity and development. Therefore, I will like to propose that a strong committee is set up to review the last elections and recommend to the party the needed reforms and address the challenges in the last election.
“But what cannot wait is that we should not take what has been happening in our democratic process from the role of INEC, security agencies and the judiciary for granted.
“If we take all these roles for granted, that will be the end of our hard-earned struggle including our founding members who are today not alive. What can we say we have done to their struggles as they lay in their graves? Therefore, as long as we are alive, it is our responsibility to reincarnate the struggle they led to what brought about the democracy of today that the APC governing party is threatening”.Speaking earlier, the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus had lamented that the democratic gain of the nation had been squandered in All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) 56 months reign.
Secodus who insisted that PDP was robbed of Imo, said, “the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari’s hatchet job of undermining our democracy through the judiciary which began with the midnight breaking into the homes of Judges and Justices in 2016 and the unilateral removal of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Walter Onnoghen, in January 2019 on the eve of general election is beginning to materialize clearly
“Anxiety has engulfed our country because it’s now evident that all the huge sacrifice and contributions of our founding fathers to ensure the endurance of democracy in our land are being thrown to the dustbin
“All the efforts of our great party to deepen and grow our democracy for 16 years that resulted in our losing power and handing over in a seamless transition to the opposition are being blatantly squandered in APC’s 56 months reign.”
In his remarks, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the party, Senator Walid Jubrin noted that the nation, “is at war, I have not cried in a long while but after Imo election I have been crying. It is a very sad moment. Some people are ready to leave Nigeria.”
In its communique after the 87th NEC meeting, PDP said that the nation had witnessed the destruction of democratic values, ethos, principles and the consistent breach of the 1999 constitution (as amended).
Assuring Nigerians that the PDP would protect and defend democracy and its institutions in our country, the party rejected the “destructions of our democratic institution and values especially the independence of the legislature, the politicization of the judiciary and the compromising of our security and electoral institutions.”
The PDP noted with pains, the gross abuse of the rule of law, the muzzling of the civil society and advocates of free speech as well as ordinary Nigerians.
ALSO READ: Fayemi swears in new Judge of Ekiti State High Court
The PDP condemned the utter desecration of judicial tenets and values, “climaxing in the national embarrassment of the Supreme Court’s manufacturing of votes and donating same to the APC and its candidate, Hope Uzodimma, thereby robbing the people of Imo state, of the mandate freely given to Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as their governor
“The PDP observes that this calculated injustice perpetrated by the Supreme Court has proven that the judiciary under Justice Tanko Mohammed is no longer the last hope of the common man but rather the LOST HOPE of the common man in Nigeria
“The Supreme Court by its judicial summersault has eroded the faith and confidence, which Nigerians have in participatory election thereby showcasing that there will be no need for an election in the future
“The PDP stands with the people of Imo State and Hon. Emeka Ihedioha in all steps being taken to reverse this injustice and reclaim the governorship mandate stolen through the Supreme Court.
“The PDP assures Nigerians that, our party, through all available constitutional and legitimate means, including civil disobedience, will insist that this government must respect the rule of law and desist from influencing the judiciary, INEC and security agencies.
“The PDP will not allow the judiciary, security agencies and other institutions of governance to become departments of the APC.”
The governors that present at the meeting included Adamawa, Sokoto and Zamfara states. Emeka Ihedioha, while Senator Dino Melaye, Chief Olsa Metuh were also in attendance
and then