Buhari’s June 12 broadcast a slap on democracy – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described President Muhammadu Buhari’s Democracy Day address as a huge and unpardonable slap on the face of the nation’s democratic process.

The PDP stressed that President Buhari’s ‘silence’ on the values of democracy, as well as the “myriads of violations” under his watch, has vindicated its stance that the administration has no regard for democracy.

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Daily Trust reports that some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and some opposition parties under the aegis of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) have consistently bashed the Buhari administration for allegedly violating human rights, disobeying court orders and operating a military-style of governance in a democratic dispensation.

But President Buhari in his broadcast on Friday stressed that his administration was focused on ensuring that Nigeria would always be governed by the rule of law.

He added that he would do his “utmost” to uphold the constitution and protect the lives and property of all Nigerians.

However, the PDP in a statement on Friday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said that on the day Mr. President himself set aside to celebrate democracy, he “had no democratic scorecard to present”, adding he had taken no step to uphold democratic practice in the last five years.

“It is scandalous that on a day like this, President Buhari had no assurances on electoral reforms and credible election; which is the hallmark of democracy.

“President Buhari’s failure to express any commitments to electoral reform in his 38-minute pre-recorded address shows that his administration has no plans to guarantee credible elections in our country.

“Rather, Mr. President and his handlers sought to divert attention from their failures and violations associated with this administration by taking the nation on a merry-go-round of recycled false performance claims that are not backed by any empirical or verifiable data.

“By this speech, President Buhari failed to appreciate that the progress of any nation is hinged on credible elections, equity, justice and adherence to rule of law,” the party said.