The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Nigerians to take advantage of June 12th as Democracy Day to re-energize and fortify their opposition to the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) anti-democratic plans, particularly the scheme to impose a totalitarian One-Party system on the country.
In an announcement to commemorate 2025 Democracy Day, the PDP called on Nigerians, democratic institutions, organized civil society, development partners, and all other supporters of democracy to stand together and speak out against the suppression of democratic principles, including the rule of law, justice, a free, fair, peaceful, and credible election process, and the right of citizens, especially the right to freely engage in politics and governance in Nigeria.
The party expressed concern over the “anti-democratic actions of the APC government which continues to use compromised state apparatus of powers and control to brazenly violate the constitution, emasculate opposition, defy and abridge the liberty of the citizens to freely elect their leaders, corrupt and manipulate Institutions of Democracy, asphyxiate the media, and weaponize poverty, all in the attempt to impose a defeatist mentality on the people and turn the nation into a fiefdom and personal estate of few individuals in power,” the party said.
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The opposition party claims the APC-led Presidency has remained unaccountable while conspiring with the dishonest, rubber stamp APC leadership in the National Assembly and some compromised judicial officers in high positions to erode popular sovereignty, supposedly to pave the way for the establishment of a totalitarian regime in our nation.
An obvious and immediate threat to our democracy is indicated by the blatant use of state capture, as demonstrated by the subversion of the will of the people in the 2024 Edo State gubernatorial election, the widely denounced overthrow of a democratically elected government, and the imposition of a sole administrator in Rivers State in flagrant violation of the 1999 Constitution, among other constitutional violations.
Thus, June 12th Democracy Day symbolizes Nigerians’ fight against a repressive, autocratic, and lawless regime that is fueled by high levels of deceit, impunity, and heedless anti-people sentiments, as evidenced by the APC government. It also symbolizes Nigerians’ insistence on a government that is answerable to the people, based on the Rule of Law, and upholds democratic values such as freedom, justice, equity, fairness, and credibility, as well as national unity, accountability, and transparency, all of which Chief MKO Abiola personified and sacrificed his life for.
Under the Peoples Democratic Party, Nigerians were able to enjoy these democratic values. Since the arrival of the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) posing as the APC, all have bitterly eluded the country, according to the statement.
Therefore, the opposition party called on the APC administration to uphold the Principle of Separation of Powers in order to honor Chief Abiola’s memory, the law, and the sovereignty of the Nigerian people.
Additionally, it urged the administration to allow for a free press, pledge to hold credible elections, be honest and open, review all of its policies that weaponize poverty, and stop interfering with the operations of the National Assembly and other democratic institutions, especially the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the judiciary.
The PDP urged the National Assembly, the judiciary, and INEC to declare their constitutional independence and function solely in accordance with the Rule of Law and the public interest in advancing democratic principles.
