“June 12 symbolises Nigerians’ struggle against a corrupt, manipulative, and anti-democratic system.”
That was the simple way that an opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described a date that has come to stay as Nigeria’s Democracy Day.
While Nigerians are marking this day, the PDP is accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of raping Nigeria’s democracy and dishonoring the late MKO Abiola’s memory.
In a statement by the spokesman for the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, the party urged Nigerians to celebrate June 12 Democracy Day.
The party emphasises the need for the entrenchment of the country’s democratic fundamentals.
According to the party, it is a disgusting, disrespectful and intolerable act for the country to mark Democracy Day under a government that violated and desecrated the Constitution.
Furthermore, the party says the ruling party and the INEC undermined all fundamentals of democracy, in the flagrant rigging that marked the 2023 national elections
Blatant Manipulations
Ologunagba made the claim in a statement headlined “June 12: @inecnigeria, @OfficialAPCNg Raped Democracy, Dishonored Abiola’s Memory – @OfficialPDPNig”.
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The statement reads: “The blatant manipulations of the 2023 general elections by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) amount to an unpardonable assault and rape of democracy and disregard for the will of the people; the very ills for which Chief MKO Abiola fought and died for.
“June 12 symbolizes Nigerians’ struggle against a corrupt, manipulative, and anti-democratic system.
“Against injustice, impunity, and electoral fraud, which INEC now represents under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
“It is heartbreaking that all steady progress and gains made by successive PDP administrations in reforming our electoral system have been completely erased by INEC in the conduct of the 2023 general elections.
“However, the party urged Nigerians not to despair, but to remain optimistic and law-abiding in their hope for a better nation, which they earnestly yearn for.”
