From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, said the outcome of the United States presidential election is a strong lesson to leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), that the will of the people and the constitution will always prevail.
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, stated that the insistence of the US judiciary and the legislature on the provisions of their nation’s constitution, reinforces the triumph of the collective will of a people through their system.
The opposition party noted that the triumph of democratic institutions in the handling of issues relating to the US presidential poll underscores the need for the government to allow institutions in Nigeria to function.
It stated that in spite of the alleged manipulation of institutions in the 2019 polls, the US experience has strengthened the determination by Nigerians to stand up against such manipulations ahead of the 2023 elections.
“The PDP therefore calls on all Nigerians including compatriots in INEC, the judiciary, the legislature, security forces, faith-based organizations, the media, civil society groups and other political parties to join forces with our party in the quest to reposition and strengthen our institutions for the task ahead.
“It is instructive to state that this is the only way to reposition our nation on the path of good governance, political stability, national cohesion and economic prosperity.
“Never again should individuals be allowed to manipulate our system, denigrate our constitution, lie to and incite unsuspecting citizens, promote violence, division and killings; compromise our security agencies, invade our courts and intimidate our judiciary, assault our National Assembly and trample on our laws, all in their inordinate bid to foist their selfish political interests.
“There is no overstressing the fact that for the strong institutions put in place by patriotic leaders of the United States, that nation would have been thrown into terrible turmoil or succumb to a chaotic order that would have no regard for the law and the will of the people.
“Our party therefore urges the Buhari Presidency to check all acts that weaken our institutions and encourage the manipulation of our security, judiciary, legislative and electoral bodies.
“Mr. President should take steps to ensure reforms that would strengthen our system, including ending all acts of nepotism in appointments into such sensitive institutions.
“The American example equally underpins the demand for public officers, particularly the APC leadership in the National Assembly, to begin to pay greater loyalty to our country and her interest over the parochial interest of their party or the executive arm.
“The patriotism displayed by American Senate Leader, Mitch McConnell, in rejecting the attempt to undermine their nation’s electoral system is a direct call on APC leaders in the National Assembly against the unpatriotic practice of putting narrow partisan interests above the national interest,” the party stated.
