The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged Nigerians to, in the spirit of the nation’s 64th Independence Day anniversary, resist what the former national ruling party described as the “creeping totalitarianism of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) administration.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, who gave this charge on Monday, in a statement on the 64th Independence Anniversary of the country, urged citizens, while using the 2024 Independence Day Celebration to re-awaken the spirit of nationalism in them, charged them to defend the country’s “democracy and national sovereignty against the emerging totalitarianism being foisted on our nation by the APC.”
PDP further urged Nigerians not to surrender to the “bullying tactics of the federal government which seeks to undermine the Constitution, emasculate citizens, compromise institutions of democracy and turn Nigeria into a fiefdom where APC leaders arrogantly carry on like lords and treat other citizens as conquered people.”
According to the PDP, “the Independence Day celebration is not the symbolic marching at parade grounds, taking of salutes, inspection of guards and making of speeches but it is the freedom of the citizens to express themselves, pursue legitimate endeavors and freely participate in the process to choose those who lead them through an unhindered expression of their Will at elections.”
“The independence of a nation is embedded in the respect for the Rule of Law and Constitutionally guaranteed rights of citizens by a transparent and responsible government that is democratically elected, answerable and committed only to the good of the people,” Ologunagba stressed.
“Since its calamitous arrival in the Nigerian political space, the APC has continued to barefacedly stifle these fundamentals of our nation’s independence.
“It is, therefore, an irony that the APC deludes itself that Nigerians should celebrate Independence which essence has been completely diminished by the anti-people policies and programs of the APC that have not only discounted the lives of citizens but also deprived them of the independence to legitimately pursue their endeavors and freely participate in governance. ”
The former national ruling party called on the federal government to listen to the citizens and review all its anti-people policies that are suffocating the people, adding that the government should immediately reduce PMS price and stem the fall of the Naira.
According to the PDP, the ruling party is “practically returning our nation to a state of bondage, where government is a cabal that has no respect for citizens but relishes in inflicting pain and hardship; where dissenting voices are treated as enemies of State, where corruption, treasury looting, election manipulation, suppression and exploitation of citizens through excruciating tariffs and taxes are now instituted as State policies.”
“It is indeed agonizing that all the gains achieved by the PDP in the development of our democracy and credible electoral process; personal freedom, liberty and security of citizens; good governance that resulted in better living standards and flourishing investments in education, healthcare, electricity, housing, railways and roads infrastructure, manufacturing, hospitality, real estate among others have all been reversed by the APC.
“Our Party is alarmed by the inexcusable insensitivity being exhibited by the APC which continues to resort to lies, false performance claims and empty promises in the face of abysmal failure.
“The PDP calls on the APC to recognize that Nigeria is an independent nation and that sovereignty belongs to the people.The APC-led administration must therefore listen to Nigerians and review all its anti-people policies and actions that are suffocating life in the country, ” the statement surmised.
