National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Seconds, on Friday expressed sadness over democracy in Nigeria.
He spoke while addressing party leaders at the 87th National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting in Abuja.
Secondus said anxiety had engulfed Nigeria and that the huge sacrifice and contributions of founding fathers to ensure the endurance of democracy in the land are being thrown in 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.
“On January 14, 2020 using the Judiciary, governorship elections were conducted on November 16, 2019 in Bayelsa and Kogi states.
What happened on March 9, 2019 governorship elections in most states which critical minds described as bizarre was a child play.
“The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the federal government combining effectively with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and some security agencies including military took the electoral manipulation to the next level.
“To give the desired colour to their agenda and facilitate the electoral fraud as designed, a unique type of unbridled violence was introduced.
“In Kogi state for instance, electoral violence was licensed in such a way that APC thugs killed and maimed opponents indiscriminately under the watchful eyes of the security operatives.
“Perhaps the most callous and wicked of all election violence in the country was the burning to death one of the PDP women leaders in the state, Madam Salome Ocheju Abu.
“For us in PDP, Madam Salome Ocheje Abu is not just a heroine but a martyr for democracy who now symbolizes the struggle for the right to vote in our democracy.
On the Supreme Court judgement on Imo governorship election, Secondus stated that the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari carried out a hatchet job.
The chairman accused them of undermining democracy through the judiciary.
He recalled with the midnight invasion of homes of Judges and Justices in 2016.
He also said the unilateral removal of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Walter Onnoghen, in January 2019 on the eve of general election had since showed that the judiciary was under attack.
Meanwhile, Bola Tinubu, national leader of the APC has revealed why the court declared the party winner in Imo.
The Supreme Court, in a unanimous Judgment on Tuesday, sacked Emeka Ihedioha of the PDP as Imo governor and declared Hope Uzodinma as duly elected.
A seven-man panel, in its decision held that Ihedioha did not win the majority of votes cast at the March 9, 2019 governorship election.
The judgment delivered by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, held that the candidate of the APC won on grounds that he polled majority of the lawful votes cast at the election.