According to a reports published by Independent News;
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Thursday disagreed with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, over the dividends of democracy as the nation celebrates Democracy Day today.
While the PDP and Atiku said governments have not delivered enough democracy dividends to the people to be happy, Tinubu and Lawan said Nigerians should be grateful for the democratic freedom they currently enjoy.
Buhari, APC Violate, Rape Democracy — PDP
As the nation marked its 21st anniversary of uninterrupted democracy, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the cleaners for allegedly violating and raping the nation’s democracy.
The party said that June 12 and Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola constantly remind the nation of being violated by Buhari’s presidency and the APC.
It listed what they stood for to include: credible electoral process, respect for rule of law, regard for constitutional separation of power, regard for the unity, national cohesion and sensibility of Nigerians; respect for rights of citizens, freedom of speech and tolerance, free press; respect for principle of federal character; transparency accountability and productivity in governance; fairness, equity and justice.
Addressing a world press conference in Abuja on Thursday, the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, also berated President Buhari for some of the democratic infractions witnessed by Nigerians under his government in his five years.
The infractions include: electoral malpractices at the highest levels, political intolerance; violence and vicious propaganda, violation of constitutional provisions; total disregard for the principle of federal character and democratic sensibilities of Nigerians; violation of constitutional principle of separation of powers through brazen invasion, intimidation, coercion and arm-twisting of the judiciary and legislative arms.
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Other infractions, according to the party, are financial recklessness and unaccountability including the torching of government buildings to cover fraud; harassment and hounding of the opposition; disobedience of court orders; abuse of constitutionally guaranteed human rights and personal liberty of citizens.
The party also described other infractions as suppression of free speech, harassment of journalists and curtailing of press freedom; unlawful arrests and detention particularly of dissenting voices and perceived antagonists of government; reported extra-judicial killings and brutality of citizens; concealment of corruption and offering official cover for corrupt officials; nepotism and a willful erosion of national cohesion; impunity and arbitrariness have become a system of governance over and above the rule of law; the nepotism in appointments, divisive body language associated with this administration as well as the failure to reduce or quell the various challenges that are threatening our peaceful corporate existence have put our nation on a dire strait.
Saluting Nigerians for their resilience in protecting the democracy despite the violations, coercions, and abuse of democratic tenets by the APC administration, the party lamented that “our party is heavily saddened that the nation is currently presided over by persons whose actions showed that they do not believe in, or have any regard for democracy.
“Such persons have emasculated democratic principles and desecrated all that MKO Abiola stood for, fought for, and eventually died for.
“At the foundation of every genuine democracy is a credible electoral process. Painfully, the Buhari presidency and the APC have continued to suppress every genuine effort for reforms that will improve our electoral processes.
“It is instructive to note that President Buhari and APC came to power in 2015 as a result of electoral reform carried out by PDP administration.
“Sadly, Mr. President have frustrated every move to ensure more credible election, particularly by refusing to sign the Electoral Act amendment bill sent to him by the NASS.
“In the last five years, our democracy has been under siege and witnessed the worst forms of violations in our political history.”
The party, has, however, called on the Buhari presidency and the APC to note that Nigeria is not under a military dictatorship, but a democratic state and as such should stop forthwith, the violation of our democratic tenets.
“Our party invites President Buhari to immediately take steps that will restore faith and hope in our country.
“He can do this by taking actions that reflect the motto of the Nigerian coat of arm by being just, engendering unity and stimulating an atmosphere of peace as well as national progress.
“The PDP and indeed majority of Nigerians have been forced by prevailing circumstances to come to the conclusion that President Buhari and the APC have not worked for these essential ingredients of nationhood in the last five years.
“Most importantly, our party, on behalf of Nigerians, demands that President Buhari should use the last three years of his final tenure in office to restore the credibility of elections in our country.
“Our party, therefore, demands that President Buhari speaks to the issue of amendment to the Electoral Act in his June 12 address and to within the next 14 days initiate the process of returning the Electoral Act Amendment Bill to the National Assembly, with a strong commitment to sign it into law immediately it is passed by the legislature.
“Our party holds that it behooves on President Buhari to initiate an electoral reform process immediately, even if that will be the only legacy that posterity will record for him in his 8 years in office.
“Any failure to initiate an electoral reform will amount to a deliberate plot by the APC to kill our hard earned democracy and return our nation to a state of nature where the will of any individual, supported by bandits and vagabonds will become the norm.
“President Buhari should also take steps to end the nepotism and divisive body language associated with his administration.
“He should also take further steps to end the constitutional violations, abuse of human rights, political intolerance, harassment of opposition and dissenting voices associated with his administration.
“Furthermore, Mr. President’s June 12 address should speak to the rejigging of our nation’s security architecture as well as more decisive steps that will be taken by his administration to save Nigerians from untimely and sudden gruesome deaths in the hands of bandits and insurgents.
“Already, Nigerians are tired of the rhetorics of routine condolences and instructions that never seemed to be carried out by the security hierarchy.
“The PDP calls on Nigerians to unite in protecting our democratic process. Nigeria is a democratic state and Nigerians have chosen democracy as a system of government and way of life.
“Nobody, therefore, no matter how highly placed, must be allowed to appropriate our common heritage and desecrate our hard-earned democracy.”
We’ve Not Delivered Enough Dividends To Our People— Atiku
As the nation marks its 21st anniversary of unbroken democratic rule today, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has taken a critical look and concluded that governments have not delivered enough democracy dividends to the people to be happy.
Atiku, in his message to Nigerians on the occasion of Democracy Day, said, “While we may have a day dedicated to celebrating democracy, it remains saddening that we have not delivered enough dividends to our people to be happy over.”
He added that “between 1999 and the present time, our democracy has thrown up all shades of characters at the leadership levels. Many, if not all of them have tried their best to deliver good governance to the country. But the results of their efforts, judging by what we have at hand today, clearly shows that our best has not been good enough thus far.
“It is clear that the problem of leadership is at the epicenter of governance issues that has afflicted Nigeria since the restoration of this democratic dispensation. To get at this problem would require the voting citizens of the country to undertake a more critical evaluation of national leadership recruitment -a rare gift which democracy guarantees through the instrumentality of periodic elections.
“It is when we do that, that democracy can pass as a self-correcting mechanism and when it is denied, we are left with a pseudo-democracy which is counterproductive to the notion of participatory democracy.”
He noted that many a compatriot paid the ultimate price, adding that “while today may well be a day dedicated to democracy, it is also very well a remembrance day for our fallen heroes of democratic rule.
“Just like the late Bashorun MKO Abiola continues to be the symbol of the June 12 struggle, there are many others like the late Chief Alfred Rewane; my mentor, Tafida Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola and many more too numerous to mention who lost their lives in order for us to have a democracy.”
Nigeria Has Left Dictatorship Forever Behind— Tinubu
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Thursday said Nigeria can never return to dictatorship form of government as democracy in the country is here to stay.
He also said Nigerians should be grateful for the democratic freedom they currently enjoy under the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Tinubu in his Democracy Day message titled, ‘June 12: A milestone for democracy’ said that Nigeria has left dictatorship forever behind and that the nation sees new and better ways to define and execute democratic journey.
“In our democratic system, nobody can dictate your beliefs and your thoughts unless you voluntarily permit them to do so. These things are what true democracy means and they are what we celebrate today.
“The government too has continued to exhibit tolerance of constructive criticism and demonstrate endurance in a bid to nurture our democracy. A relentless battle is being waged against corruption. This fight would have been impossible or ineffective under a military dictatorship.
“If we look at where we were and where we are now, we have cause to be thankful. We have left dictatorship forever behind. We see new and better ways to define and execute our democratic journey.”
Embrace Democratic Practice Devoid Of Violence— Lawan
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has urged Nigerians to embrace a healthy democratic practice devoid of desperation and violence.
This is the message of President of the Senate as the nation marks Democracy Day.
Lawan, in a statement said: “June 12 has become a metaphor in our country for free, fair and credible elections and a memorial for the day in which Nigerians stoutly rose above ethnic and religious sentiments to deliver a pan-Nigerian mandate for the revival of hope in their country, unity and attainment of its great potential.
“The heroic demonstration of patriotism by the Nigerian voters on June 12, 1993 will continue to inspire generations of their compatriots to promote national unity and defend democracy in Nigeria.
“Having come this far in our journey as a nation, we have no reason to doubt our ability to govern ourselves and attain our great potential as a nation.
“Our uninterrupted practice of democracy in the last 21 years attests that democratic civil rule is taking roots and becoming firmly entrenched in Nigeria.”
While the PDP and Atiku said governments have not delivered enough democracy dividends to the people to be happy, Tinubu and Lawan said Nigerians should be grateful for the democratic freedom they currently enjoy.
Buhari, APC Violate, Rape Democracy — PDP
As the nation marked its 21st anniversary of uninterrupted democracy, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the cleaners for allegedly violating and raping the nation’s democracy.
The party said that June 12 and Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola constantly remind the nation of being violated by Buhari’s presidency and the APC.
It listed what they stood for to include: credible electoral process, respect for rule of law, regard for constitutional separation of power, regard for the unity, national cohesion and sensibility of Nigerians; respect for rights of citizens, freedom of speech and tolerance, free press; respect for principle of federal character; transparency accountability and productivity in governance; fairness, equity and justice.
Addressing a world press conference in Abuja on Thursday, the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, also berated President Buhari for some of the democratic infractions witnessed by Nigerians under his government in his five years.
The infractions include: electoral malpractices at the highest levels, political intolerance; violence and vicious propaganda, violation of constitutional provisions; total disregard for the principle of federal character and democratic sensibilities of Nigerians; violation of constitutional principle of separation of powers through brazen invasion, intimidation, coercion and arm-twisting of the judiciary and legislative arms.
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Other infractions, according to the party, are financial recklessness and unaccountability including the torching of government buildings to cover fraud; harassment and hounding of the opposition; disobedience of court orders; abuse of constitutionally guaranteed human rights and personal liberty of citizens.
The party also described other infractions as suppression of free speech, harassment of journalists and curtailing of press freedom; unlawful arrests and detention particularly of dissenting voices and perceived antagonists of government; reported extra-judicial killings and brutality of citizens; concealment of corruption and offering official cover for corrupt officials; nepotism and a willful erosion of national cohesion; impunity and arbitrariness have become a system of governance over and above the rule of law; the nepotism in appointments, divisive body language associated with this administration as well as the failure to reduce or quell the various challenges that are threatening our peaceful corporate existence have put our nation on a dire strait.
Saluting Nigerians for their resilience in protecting the democracy despite the violations, coercions, and abuse of democratic tenets by the APC administration, the party lamented that “our party is heavily saddened that the nation is currently presided over by persons whose actions showed that they do not believe in, or have any regard for democracy.
“Such persons have emasculated democratic principles and desecrated all that MKO Abiola stood for, fought for, and eventually died for.
“At the foundation of every genuine democracy is a credible electoral process. Painfully, the Buhari presidency and the APC have continued to suppress every genuine effort for reforms that will improve our electoral processes.
“It is instructive to note that President Buhari and APC came to power in 2015 as a result of electoral reform carried out by PDP administration.
“Sadly, Mr. President have frustrated every move to ensure more credible election, particularly by refusing to sign the Electoral Act amendment bill sent to him by the NASS.
“In the last five years, our democracy has been under siege and witnessed the worst forms of violations in our political history.”
The party, has, however, called on the Buhari presidency and the APC to note that Nigeria is not under a military dictatorship, but a democratic state and as such should stop forthwith, the violation of our democratic tenets.
“Our party invites President Buhari to immediately take steps that will restore faith and hope in our country.
“He can do this by taking actions that reflect the motto of the Nigerian coat of arm by being just, engendering unity and stimulating an atmosphere of peace as well as national progress.
“The PDP and indeed majority of Nigerians have been forced by prevailing circumstances to come to the conclusion that President Buhari and the APC have not worked for these essential ingredients of nationhood in the last five years.
“Most importantly, our party, on behalf of Nigerians, demands that President Buhari should use the last three years of his final tenure in office to restore the credibility of elections in our country.
“Our party, therefore, demands that President Buhari speaks to the issue of amendment to the Electoral Act in his June 12 address and to within the next 14 days initiate the process of returning the Electoral Act Amendment Bill to the National Assembly, with a strong commitment to sign it into law immediately it is passed by the legislature.
“Our party holds that it behooves on President Buhari to initiate an electoral reform process immediately, even if that will be the only legacy that posterity will record for him in his 8 years in office.
“Any failure to initiate an electoral reform will amount to a deliberate plot by the APC to kill our hard earned democracy and return our nation to a state of nature where the will of any individual, supported by bandits and vagabonds will become the norm.
“President Buhari should also take steps to end the nepotism and divisive body language associated with his administration.
“He should also take further steps to end the constitutional violations, abuse of human rights, political intolerance, harassment of opposition and dissenting voices associated with his administration.
“Furthermore, Mr. President’s June 12 address should speak to the rejigging of our nation’s security architecture as well as more decisive steps that will be taken by his administration to save Nigerians from untimely and sudden gruesome deaths in the hands of bandits and insurgents.
“Already, Nigerians are tired of the rhetorics of routine condolences and instructions that never seemed to be carried out by the security hierarchy.
“The PDP calls on Nigerians to unite in protecting our democratic process. Nigeria is a democratic state and Nigerians have chosen democracy as a system of government and way of life.
“Nobody, therefore, no matter how highly placed, must be allowed to appropriate our common heritage and desecrate our hard-earned democracy.”
We’ve Not Delivered Enough Dividends To Our People— Atiku
As the nation marks its 21st anniversary of unbroken democratic rule today, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has taken a critical look and concluded that governments have not delivered enough democracy dividends to the people to be happy.
Atiku, in his message to Nigerians on the occasion of Democracy Day, said, “While we may have a day dedicated to celebrating democracy, it remains saddening that we have not delivered enough dividends to our people to be happy over.”
He added that “between 1999 and the present time, our democracy has thrown up all shades of characters at the leadership levels. Many, if not all of them have tried their best to deliver good governance to the country. But the results of their efforts, judging by what we have at hand today, clearly shows that our best has not been good enough thus far.
“It is clear that the problem of leadership is at the epicenter of governance issues that has afflicted Nigeria since the restoration of this democratic dispensation. To get at this problem would require the voting citizens of the country to undertake a more critical evaluation of national leadership recruitment -a rare gift which democracy guarantees through the instrumentality of periodic elections.
“It is when we do that, that democracy can pass as a self-correcting mechanism and when it is denied, we are left with a pseudo-democracy which is counterproductive to the notion of participatory democracy.”
He noted that many a compatriot paid the ultimate price, adding that “while today may well be a day dedicated to democracy, it is also very well a remembrance day for our fallen heroes of democratic rule.
“Just like the late Bashorun MKO Abiola continues to be the symbol of the June 12 struggle, there are many others like the late Chief Alfred Rewane; my mentor, Tafida Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola and many more too numerous to mention who lost their lives in order for us to have a democracy.”
Nigeria Has Left Dictatorship Forever Behind— Tinubu
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Thursday said Nigeria can never return to dictatorship form of government as democracy in the country is here to stay.
He also said Nigerians should be grateful for the democratic freedom they currently enjoy under the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Tinubu in his Democracy Day message titled, ‘June 12: A milestone for democracy’ said that Nigeria has left dictatorship forever behind and that the nation sees new and better ways to define and execute democratic journey.
“In our democratic system, nobody can dictate your beliefs and your thoughts unless you voluntarily permit them to do so. These things are what true democracy means and they are what we celebrate today.
“The government too has continued to exhibit tolerance of constructive criticism and demonstrate endurance in a bid to nurture our democracy. A relentless battle is being waged against corruption. This fight would have been impossible or ineffective under a military dictatorship.
“If we look at where we were and where we are now, we have cause to be thankful. We have left dictatorship forever behind. We see new and better ways to define and execute our democratic journey.”
Embrace Democratic Practice Devoid Of Violence— Lawan
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has urged Nigerians to embrace a healthy democratic practice devoid of desperation and violence.
This is the message of President of the Senate as the nation marks Democracy Day.
Lawan, in a statement said: “June 12 has become a metaphor in our country for free, fair and credible elections and a memorial for the day in which Nigerians stoutly rose above ethnic and religious sentiments to deliver a pan-Nigerian mandate for the revival of hope in their country, unity and attainment of its great potential.
“The heroic demonstration of patriotism by the Nigerian voters on June 12, 1993 will continue to inspire generations of their compatriots to promote national unity and defend democracy in Nigeria.
“Having come this far in our journey as a nation, we have no reason to doubt our ability to govern ourselves and attain our great potential as a nation.
“Our uninterrupted practice of democracy in the last 21 years attests that democratic civil rule is taking roots and becoming firmly entrenched in Nigeria.”
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