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…Accuse Niger Govt of Democratic Subversion
Umbrella civil society organisations under the banner of the Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations (CNCSOs) on Saturday intensified pressure on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Niger State Government over the disputed Niger South Senatorial District primary election, demanding the immediate cancellation of the exercise and the conduct of a fresh, transparent, and credible primary.
The coalition, while addressing journalists in Abuja, warned that failure to address the alleged irregularities surrounding the exercise could trigger what it described as one of the largest peaceful civic resistance movements in recent political history.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Deputy National Secretary of CNCSOs, Comrade Danesi Momoh Prince, accused the Niger State Government under Governor Umaru Muhammad Bago of allegedly presiding over “a dangerous assault on democracy.”
“We are deeply alarmed, disappointed, and outraged by the widespread allegations of manipulation, suppression of internal democracy, abuse of state power, and political imposition that reportedly characterized the purported All Progressives Congress senatorial primary election in the Niger South Senatorial District,” he stated.
Prince alleged that what occurred during the primary election could not be regarded as a democratic exercise.
“What transpired in Niger State cannot be described as democracy. It cannot be described as a transparent political process. It cannot even pass as a credible party primary election by the most basic democratic standards,” he declared.
According to him, reports from aggrieved aspirants, delegates, stakeholders, and party faithful suggested that the process was allegedly manipulated to favour predetermined political interests.
“What Nigerians witnessed, according to reports from aggrieved aspirants, stakeholders, delegates, and party faithful, was nothing short of a carefully supervised political charade allegedly designed to impose predetermined outcomes on party members against their collective will,” Prince said.
The coalition further alleged that lawful delegates and party members were denied participation while accreditation and voting procedures were compromised.
“We are particularly disturbed by allegations that lawful delegates and party members were denied participation, accreditation processes allegedly manipulated, voting procedures compromised, and results written from Government House purportedly announced without transparency, credibility, or broad acceptance among stakeholders and without INEC officials present,” he added.
Describing the development as a threat to democratic culture and political accountability, the coalition insisted that the matter transcended internal party affairs.
“This is not merely an internal party affair. It is a direct threat to democratic culture, political accountability, and the rule of law in Nigeria,” Prince stated.
The coalition also expressed concern over what it described as the collapse of internal democracy within the ruling party structure in Niger State.
“A democracy where candidates allegedly emerge based on personal closeness to those in power rather than through transparent electoral processes is a democracy standing dangerously close to authoritarianism,” the CNCSOs warned.
The group subsequently called on the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress, democratic institutions, and relevant authorities to urgently intervene and investigate the allegations surrounding the exercise.
Among its demands, the coalition called for “the immediate cancellation and nullification of the purported primary election” and demanded “the conduct of a fresh, credible, transparent, inclusive, and democratically acceptable primary election conducted strictly in line with the Electoral Act, the Constitution of the APC, and established democratic procedures guiding party primaries in Nigeria.”
The coalition warned that failure by the APC leadership and Governor Umaru Muhammad Bago to address the concerns raised could result in mass civic resistance across the country.
“The Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations wishes to make it unequivocally clear that failure by Governor Umaru Muhammad Bago and the leadership of the APC to immediately do the right thing and conduct a credible, transparent, and lawful primary election will leave Nigerians with no option but to democratically resist this assault on internal democracy through lawful mass civic action,” Prince declared.
He further disclosed that consultations and mobilisation efforts were already ongoing nationwide.
“Consequently, the Coalition is already consulting widely and mobilising across the country for what may become one of the largest peaceful civil resistance movements in recent political history, including a proposed ten-million-man solidarity march aimed at compelling the Niger State Government and the APC leadership to respect democratic principles and the will of genuine party members,” he stated.
The coalition also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, civil society organisations, labour groups, youth movements, and democratic stakeholders to rise in defence of democracy.
“The era where political leaders treat democratic institutions as personal property must come to an end. Democracy belongs to the people, and the people reserve the constitutional right to peacefully demand accountability whenever democratic values are threatened,” the coalition declared.
CNCSOs, however, urged party supporters, delegates, women, and youths in Niger State to remain peaceful, law-abiding, and committed to pursuing justice through democratic means.
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