The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has blamed the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the current economic hardship faced by Nigerians as the nation celebrates 25 years of democracy.
Nigeria has been facing economic challenges, making it extremely difficult for citizens to afford basic necessities.
In a statement on Tuesday to commemorate Nigeria’s Democracy Day, celebrated annually on June 12, Atiku also criticized opposition parties for failing to unite and form a coalition capable of unseating the ruling APC.
He also berated the opposition parties for failing to present a governance plan that would gain the confidence of Nigerians.
Atiku explained that one of the secondary purposes of declaring June 12 as Democracy Day in Nigeria is to commemorate the history of our prolonged journey toward becoming a stable democratic nation.
The former vice president asserted that there is no substitute for democracy as a form of government.
The statement reads, “Whereas our current democratic dispensation is a quarter of a century old, it will not be out of place to pay tributes to the sacrifices made by many patriots, chiefly among them Basorun MKO Abiola and his beloved wife, Alhaja (Mrs) Kudirat Abiola, Tafida Shehu Yar’Adua and Alfred Rewane, among many others.
“The historical timeline of the struggle that birthed this democracy is abundant with a series of coalitions and alliances amongst the political leaderships of that era to flush away the vestiges of military and dictatorial governance in order to return power to the people.
“It is commendable that for 25 years, we have witnessed an uninterrupted season of electoral politics. It is an unprecedented epoch in our history.”
Atiku observed that Nigeria’s democracy remains weak if it consistently fails to fulfil the promises of prosperity and liberty for its citizens.
He continued, “It is worthy of celebration, and commendation must go to the people of our great country. I must also congratulate the political class for having embraced the rectitude of nurturing a democracy, as well as civil society. It is important that all stakeholders continue to do their bit to ensure the sustainability of our democracy.
“But our democracy is not yet virile if it continually fails to deliver the promises of prosperity and liberty to the people.
“However, the past nine years have thrown up a regime of extreme hardship manifested in excruciating poverty and unprecedented levels of violence and insecurity upon our people. Sadly, the ruling All Progressives Congress is to blame for bringing forth this dawn of gloom.
“But the opposition political parties are even more guilty than the ruling party for the seeming lack of capacity to come together and galvanize a coalition that will retire the ruling party and articulate a plan of good governance that will earn the conviction of Nigerians.”
According to the former presidential candidate, the primary threat to Nigeria’s democracy today is the opposition parties’ failure to maintain the effectiveness of their roles.
“Today, the failings of the opposition parties to uphold the functionality of their existence is the major threat to our democracy. The earlier they realise that the fortunes of Nigeria lie in their forging a coalition, the better it will be for our country and the people, he added.
