Secondus charges EU on Nigeria electoral reform

. . . Says APC has ruined Nigeria’s democracy

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has charged European Union (EU) to review their support and partnership programmes with Nigeria with a view to strengthening the operations of democracy in the country.

Prince Secondus spoke while receiving the EU team of Evaluators led by Prof Adele Juniad and Prof Victor Adetula in his office on Tuesday. He said that the democracy nurtured by the PDP for 16 years has been under severe stress since the last six years.

“APC administration has destroyed the democracy we built for 16 years in six years,”

Prince Secondus said that the EU in evaluating their performance in Nigeria’s democratic journey should also consider reviewing its sanction policies for governments and democratic institutions that are not playing by the rules.

“If European Union has put in about 100m Euro supporting democratic institutions in Nigeria like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it should ensure that they play by the rules,” Secondus said.

The PDP leader noted the reluctance of the ruling government to carry out further electoral reforms that will enable for free, fair and transparent elections in the country.

He said that the PDP won the 2019 Presidential election but was denied the victory because of the blatant violation of electoral rules and the militarisation of election venue.

Secondus mentioned, in particular, what he described as “the brazen electoral fraud in Osun and Kano states governorship elections where military operatives were used to thwart the will of the people as clearly expressed at the polls.”

“I urge you, EU officials to seat down with the INEC and insist that the right things are done and to also put necessary pressure for the passage and signing of amended Electoral Act.

He noted that without the passage of the electoral Act that will enable direct transmission of results from the polling unit as observed in Edo state gubernatorial election last year, 2023 might be difficult to handle.

“You must find a way to sanction INEC or any agency that receives from you but not playing by the rules,” he said.

Speaking on the security situation in the country, Secondus said that “the ship of state is sailing without any captain, the commander in Chief is missing on duty and it’s free for all in governance in Nigeria today.”

Earlier the Political Adviser of the EU in Nigeria, Osaro Odemwingie, while introducing the team revealed that the body has expended over 100m Euro in supporting the country’s democracy through the INEC and said the Evaluation team came to rub minds and get the position of PDP on activities of the Electoral Commission and other institutions of democracy.

On hand to receive and rub minds with the team at the Wadata Headquarters of PDP along with the National Chairman were other members of the National Working Committee (NWC), of the party.