The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has congratulated Nigerians on the dawn of the New Year, 2024, but charged the masses to brace up to defend the nation’s Constitutional democracy from totalitarianism.
PDP in a statement to mark year 2024, said”
“The PDP, congratulates Nigerians on the dawn of the New Year, 2024, charging them to pray for the nation and brace up to use every legitimate means to resist all fascist tendencies and defend the nation’s Constitutional Democracy from totalitarianism.
“The new year offers Nigerians the opportunity to re-invent and assert themselves as a free people under democratic order; set aside every ethnic, religious and political partitioning and join their voices with the PDP in resisting anti-democratic forces seeking to undermine the Constitution and the laws, emasculate Institutions of democracy and foist a fascist regime on our nation.
“Our citizens must say no anti-democratic actions and policies of the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress, APC, administration which are so far tilted towards the institutionalization of corruption, crippling of democracy Institutions and sabotaging of national productivity which the PDP had earlier alerted is consistent with APC’s scheme to weaponize poverty and suppress Nigerians to surrender to totalitarianism.
“Such assault on Democracy Institutions including the emasculation of the National Assembly to prevent it from playing its Constitutional role of holding the Executive accountable; the compromising of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, by the appointment of card-carrying APC members as Resident Electoral Commissioners and alleged attempts to also compromise the Judiciary and anti-corruption agencies are all pointers to emerging totalitarianism.
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“The exhibition of fascist tendencies in the rendition of Tinubu’s campaign tune amidst proceedings in the hallowed chamber of the National Assembly and recent unconstitutional interference by President Tinubu on political developments on the issues in the Rivers State House of Assembly contrary to subsisting Order of Court and clear interpretation of Constitutional provision by the Supreme Court further confirm a move towards authoritarianism.
“Nigerians and indeed the civil soociety must speak out against the recklessness and lack of transparency of the APC administration that led to the collapse of the Naira; the alleged massive looting of funds including proceeds from the removal of subsidy on petroleum products; the skewing of the 2024 budget in favour of luxury appetite of the Presidency and APC leaders without concrete policies and programmes to revive the economy, create jobs and address the comatose manufacturing and productive sectors.
“It is distressing that due to the counter-productive actions and policies of the Tinubu-led APC administration, including the failure to address the comatose infrastructure, major multinational giants that have established in the country for decades including GlaxoSmithKline, Procter and Gamble among others are now leaving in droves with attendant massive loss of jobs and businesses.
“The hardship, infrastructural stagnation and uncertainty occasioned by the insensitive and anti-people economic policies of the Tinubu-led APC government have led to serious social dislocation of life and family with negative consequences on our national life.
“Indeed, this is not the way to go.
“The PDP re-assures of its determination in leading the charge and using every legitimate mean available to protect our nation’s democracy and Constitutional Order.
“The APC administration must know that the sovereignty and resources of this nation belong to all its people and cannot be appropriated by any individual or group,” the statement added.