The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Tuesday warned that democracy in Nigeria is under severe attack, following the defection of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, from the party to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
“We reiterate to Nigerians and the global community that with the unrelenting disposition of the ruling party towards the attainment of a one-party state, and the constriction of the political space, democracy is under severe attack in Nigeria,” the PDP said.
In a statement signed by party spokesman Ini Ememobong, the PDP called on Nigerians to rise and oppose what it called ignoble trip toward electoral authoritarianism.
The party expressed pity over Fubara’s decision, describing it as an example of the old legal maxim: “to one who is willing, no harm can be done.”
“Everyone who has followed the developments that culminated in this uneventful defection will recall that the Governor willingly travelled the path that took him to this destination,” the statement read.
“Having done so voluntarily, he cannot turn around and accuse our party, or any other person or group of abandoning or not protecting him. Whilst a person who is at a crossroads of threats of existential proportion, will most likely suffer from temporary amnesia caused by trauma, the Governor should have nothing less than praise for our party, civil society organisations, and all Nigerians who freely stood up in his defence since this crisis started until he capitulated.
“It is our prayer that the Governor should not suffer from Stockholm Syndrome, where a victim falls in love with his captor. In all, despite these, we pity the Governor and wish him well.”
The PDP also highlighted that the situation in Rivers State underscores the dysfunction of Nigeria’s democracy, where it said individuals are bigger and stronger than institutions and can use the apparatus of the Federal Government to obfuscate political life out of their opponents and bring them to their knees.
“Democracy is terribly threatened by acts of this kind, and all well-meaning people should unify in condemning this progressive decline of democratic norms,” the statement added.
“Finally, we reiterate to Nigerians and the global community that with the unrelenting disposition of the ruling party towards the attainment of a one-party state, and the constriction of the political space, democracy is under severe attack in Nigeria. Everyone must rise together to oppose this ignoble trip toward electoral authoritarianism.”
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