The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has said that the fear of inevitable defeat from a free and fair election, was the reason for the swift presidential nod to the controversial Electoral Act amendment.
It also described it as a deliberate, orchestrated act by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The party said the rapid approval, in spite of overwhelming opposition from Nigerians, “is a confirmation of the fact that this was a well choreographed drama by the ruling party.
It added: “The party’s fear of the inevitable defeat from a free and fair election is palpable and they are unable to conceal it again.”
In a statement on Wednesday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the party said, “this is indeed a sad day for democracy. The Nigerian people have been dealt a bad card, which existentially threatens democracy.”
It noted that the President “has shown his inability to rise above partisanship in the art of governance.”
The PDP implored Nigerians, organised labour, and civil society organisations to mobilise through lawful channels to express disapproval of what it termed the National Assembly’s “anti-democratic actions,” hoping legislators would rethink their stance.
“This hard-won democracy must not be allowed to suffer decline in the hands of retrogressive politicians, masking as legislators,” the party emphasised.
It also condemned the sudden reversal by the House of Representatives and the Senate’s anti-democratic posture on the mandatory electronic transmission of election results from polling units. PDP described this as “an act of treachery against the Nigerian electorate,” adding, “This is a huge betrayal of the collective trust of Nigerians, who unambiguously expressed their overwhelming demand for the electronic transmission of results.”
The party said: “This betrayal is most painful because it strikes the core of democracy, electoral sanctity.”
The PDP expressed outrage at what it called the blatant contempt of legislators for Nigerian voters, noting the “shocking aspect of the whole drama is the brazen manner in which the legislators acted-they clearly showed disdain for the Nigerian people who voted them into office by openly challenging the supremacy of the voters.” It added, “The excuses advanced for inserting this obnoxious proviso are weak, illogical, and insulting to the intelligence of Nigerians.”
Observing that undermining transparency mechanisms signals electoral manipulation, the party warned, “By this act, the National Assembly has violated the foundation of legislative representation, which is anchored on mirroring the wishes of the majority of their constituents. This is a painful betrayal, which the people will certainly repay in equal, if not heavier measures.”
The PDP criticised the restriction to Direct and Consensus methods as “a blatant intrusion into the internal affairs of political parties.” The party reminded that “The Supreme Court has consistently affirmed that political parties possess autonomy in managing their internal processes. This provision is therefore ultra vires, and the attempt to constrict political parties is condemnable.”
The PDP challenged the ruling party’s claimed popularity, stating, “If the ruling party truly believes it enjoys the support it claims, it should welcome every mechanism that guarantees transparency. Their shameless support for this anomaly shows their fear of impending defeat in a free and fair election. It is most shameful that a party that demanded electronic voting in 2015 is now unwilling and unprepared to have electronic transmission of results-this is a crying shame.”
