Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has called for a merger of opposition political parties to form a formidable front and prevent the country from descending into a dictatorial state.
Atiku, according to a statement by his media aide, spoke when he hosted the National Executive Committee of the Inter-Party Advisory Council Nigeria (IPAC), yesterday.
He also warned against the likelihood of the country sliding into a one-party state, stating that the project of protecting democracy in the country is not just about one man.
“You have come here today to say that we should cooperate in order to promote democracy. But, the truth of the matter is that our democracy is fast becoming a one-party system; and of course, you know that when we have a one party system, we should just forget about democracy.
“We have all seen how the APC is increasingly turning Nigeria into a dictatorship of one party. If we don’t come together to challenge what the ruling party is trying to create, our democracy will suffer for it, and the consequences of it will affect the generations yet unborn.”
Atiku also chided the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for allegedly conducting the worst general election ever in Nigeria.
“Recently again in the off-season election in three states, INEC doubled down on its disregard for the tenets of our democracy.
“We all can see how INEC declared a result in Kogi State where the total number of votes cast is higher than the total number of accredited voters in one local government. We cannot have a healthy democracy in an environment where all INEC does is to deliver the ruling party at all cost.
“That is also why I will urge you all, to appeal to lawmakers of the various opposition parties in the National Assembly to sponsor legislation that will advance the course of the constitutional and electoral reforms agenda that I shared in my recent press conference. The issue of electronic voting must be the urgent priority of the National Assembly because countries that are far less advanced as Nigeria are already doing it.
“Until our elections pass the test of transparency through electronic voting, it will be difficult for INEC to regain its credibility, and our democracy will be the first casualty of such a situation.”
Chairman of IPAC, Yabagi Sani, who spoke on behalf of other members on the delegation, said the group had chosen to visit Atiku because he is a true democrat.
He noted that as far as he was concerned, the journey had just begun for Atiku, and assured that they would be available at any time that he needed them as a group.