Senator David Mark
David Mark, national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of weakening democratic institutions in the country.
Speaking at the National Opposition Summit on Saturday in Ibadan, Mark alleged that efforts were being made by the APC-led administration to deny Nigerians the right to elect the leaders of their choice.
The ADC national chairman claimed that opposition parties are systematically targeted, adding that institutions meant to safeguard democracy are compromised.
“In the last three years, this government has launched major attacks on the opposition parties, all in a bid to deny the people the right to choose. They want to foist a one-party state on Nigeria,” Mark said.
“Institutions that should safeguard our freedom and protect the will of the people are increasingly under assault. The right of citizens to freely choose their leaders is being undermined.
“The independence of democratic institutions is being compromised. In fact, it is becoming increasingly difficult to describe what we have today as a fully functioning democracy in both form and substance.”
He noted that the increasing pressure on the opposition parties in the past three years is a strategy to retain power at all costs.
“I have no doubt in my mind that no single opposition political party, no matter how strong, can confront a system so entrenched and so determined to retain power at all costs,” Mark said.
“What we are faced with is a regime that has shown, in both words and in deeds, a willingness to weaken democratic structures and suppress opposition voices.
“Let’s not make a mistake about this. The move towards a one-party state is real. It has never happened before in this country, and it will not happen in our generation.”
The former senate president said the opposition must prioritise unity and coalition-building over personal ambition.
“Let it be said loud and clear that at a defining moment in our history, when Nigeria stood at the edge of uncertainty, we did not falter. We did not allow personal ambition to override the desire of Nigerians for a better life,” Mark said.
“We did not collapse under the temptation of petty partisanship or self-satisfying ambitions. Instead, we chose unity over division, sacrifice over self, and country above all.”
Speaking on the electoral process, Mark claimed that the confidence of Nigerians in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has decreased due to perceived bias that the credibility of the coming election can be altered.
“Let me use this opportunity to emphasise once again that the credibility of our democracy rests on the neutrality and integrity of its electoral institutions. When the referee clearly and proudly wears the jersey of one of the teams in a match he should be officiating, then the legitimacy of the entire process is undermined,” he added.
“In this instance, Nigerians have lost confidence in the electoral body. INEC is no longer an impartial umpire. And if nothing changes, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan is about to preside over the most distrusted election in Nigerian history.”
He advised opposition stakeholders to act swiftly, noting that time is running out to prevent further democratic erosion.
The national chairman of ADC added that the outcome of current political developments will determine if Nigeria will preserve its democratic character.
TheCable
