Says APC of weakening opposition, calls for unity to resist one-party rule
David Mark, National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of systematically weakening democratic institutions in the country.
Speaking at the National Opposition Summit on Saturday in Ibadan, Mark alleged that the APC-led administration is actively working to deny Nigerians the right to elect leaders of their choice. He claimed that opposition parties are being targeted and that the institutions meant to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy have been compromised.
“In the last three years, this government has launched major attacks on opposition parties, all in a bid to deny the people the right to choose. They want to foist a one-party state on Nigeria,” Mark said.
“Institutions that should safeguard our freedom and protect the will of the people are increasingly under assault. The right of citizens to freely choose their leaders is being undermined. The independence of democratic institutions is being compromised. In fact, it is becoming increasingly difficult to describe what we have today as a fully functioning democracy in both form and substance.”
He noted that the mounting pressure on opposition parties is a deliberate strategy to retain power at all costs.
“I have no doubt in my mind that no single opposition political party, no matter how strong, can confront a system so entrenched and so determined to retain power,” Mark added. “What we are faced with is a regime that has shown, in both words and deeds, a willingness to weaken democratic structures and suppress opposition voices.”
Warning against complacency, he stated: “Let’s not make a mistake about this. The move towards a one-party state is real. It has never happened before in this country, and it will not happen in our generation.”
The former Senate President urged the opposition to prioritize unity and coalition-building over personal ambition.
“Let it be said loud and clear that at a defining moment in our history, when Nigeria stood at the edge of uncertainty, we did not falter. We did not allow personal ambition to override the desire of Nigerians for a better life,” Mark said. “We did not collapse under the temptation of petty partisanship or self-satisfying ambitions. Instead, we chose unity over division, sacrifice over self, and country above all.”
Turning his attention to the electoral process, Mark claimed that public confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has plummeted due to perceived bias.
“The credibility of our democracy rests on the neutrality and integrity of its electoral institutions. When the referee clearly and proudly wears the jersey of one of the teams in a match he should be officiating, the legitimacy of the entire process is undermined,” he said.
“Nigerians have lost confidence in the electoral body. INEC is no longer an impartial umpire. If nothing changes, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan is about to preside over the most distrusted election in Nigerian history.”
Mark advised opposition stakeholders to act swiftly, noting that time is running out to prevent further democratic erosion. He concluded that the outcome of current political developments will determine whether Nigeria can preserve its democratic character.
