PDP to Nigerians: Defend Democracy, Resist APC’s One-Party State Drive – June 12

Nigerians have been urged by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 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 attempt to impose a totalitarian One-Party system on the country.

The PDP called on Nigerians, democratic institutions, organized civil society, development partners, and all other supporters of democracy to come together and speak out against the suppression of democratic principles, including justice, the rule of law, a free, fair, peaceful, and credible electoral process, and the right of citizens, especially to freely participate in politics and governance in Nigeria, in a statement commemorating 2025 Democracy Day.

In an effort to instill a defeatist mindset in the populace and transform the country into the property and fief of a select few in power, the party expressed alarm 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.”

In order to allegedly pave the way for a totalitarian system in our nation, the opposition party claims that 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 very high places to erode popular sovereignty.

A clear and present 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 infractions.

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As demonstrated by the APC administration, “June 12 Democracy Day thus symbolizes Nigerians’ fight against an oppressive, autocratic, and lawless system propelled by impunity, high-level deceit, and reckless anti-people tendencies.” Additionally, it symbolizes Nigerians’ insistence on a government that is answerable to the people, upholds the Rule of Law, and is founded on democratic values such as freedom, justice, equity, fairness, and credibility, as well as national unity, accountability in government, and transparency—all of which Chief MKO Abiola personified and sacrificed his life for.

Under the People’s 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 painfully avoided the country, according to the statement.

Therefore, the opposition party encouraged 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.

It also urged the administration to allow a free press, pledge to hold credible elections, be honest and open, review all of its policies that use poverty as a weapon, 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 judiciary, INEC, and the National Assembly to declare their constitutional independence and function solely in accordance with the Rule of Law and the public interest in advancing democratic principles.