As Nigeria marks its Democracy Day, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have issued strong critiques against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing it of causing severe economic hardship and undermining the democratic principles for which the day is celebrated.
In a statement released to commemorate the day, Atiku Abubakar highlighted the detrimental impacts of APC’s nine-year rule, citing extreme poverty, heightened insecurity, and pervasive violence as key issues afflicting the nation. He placed the blame squarely on the ruling party, stating, “The past nine years have thrown up a regime of extreme hardship manifested in excruciating poverty and unprecedented levels of violence and insecurity upon our people. Sadly, the ruling APC is to blame for bringing forth this dawn of gloom.”
Atiku further criticized the opposition parties for their inability to unite against the APC. He emphasized the necessity for a coalition to displace the ruling party and present a robust governance plan to the Nigerian populace. “The opposition political parties are even more guilty than the ruling party for the seeming lack of capacity to come together and galvanize a coalition that will retire the ruling party and articulate a plan of good governance that will earn the conviction of Nigerians,” he stated.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s democratic journey, Atiku paid tribute to democratic heroes such as MKO Abiola, Kudirat Abiola, Shehu Yar’Adua, and Alfred Rewane. He underscored the importance of their sacrifices and the progress made over 25 years of uninterrupted democratic governance. “It is commendable that for 25 years we have witnessed an uninterrupted season of electoral politics. It is an unprecedented epoch in our history,” Atiku remarked, while urging continuous efforts to ensure democracy delivers on its promises of prosperity and liberty.
Similarly, the PDP criticized the APC for what it termed the desecration of democratic values. In a statement, PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba accused the APC of various undemocratic practices, including constitutional violations, election rigging, and stifling opposition voices. “It is distressing that our nation is observing the Democracy Day under a system that relishes in brazen violation of the constitution, election rigging, stifling and manipulation of opposition, muzzling of dissenting voices; undermining the judicial system and other democracy institutions in desperation to turn Nigeria into a one-party state,” the statement read.
The PDP lamented the reversal of democratic gains made during its governance from 1999 to 2015, a period it described as marked by adherence to the rule of law, economic transformation, and Nigeria’s emergence as a preferred destination for foreign investment.
As the nation reflects on its democratic progress, the calls from Atiku and the PDP highlight significant concerns about the current state of governance and the urgent need for reforms to restore and uphold democratic ideals in Nigeria.
