Former spokesperson of the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation in the 2023 general election, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has said there is an urgent need for a united political movement to dislodge the current All Progressives Congress, APC, government.
He noted that the opposition movement in Nigeria’s democracy has come a long way since 1999, with some progress made with multi-party democracy, but lamented that the enthusiasm of citizens have waned over the years with each election proving to be worse than the previous, resulting in regression and downward loop in terms of turning out on election day.
“We have watched with agony as the clear ideological differences within parties have disappeared, making the choices first about individual personalities and less about values and ideology,” he said at a press conference in Abuja on Monday.
“Sadly now, it is evolving dangerously to just money in a highest bidder heist of the suffrage of the electorate in our beloved country.
“We have watched the electoral umpire, INEC, improve its guidelines and operational manual.
“Yet, rather than an increase in election integrity, what we see is a progressive lack of integrity and transparency in the electoral process.
“The judiciary of our country has not been spared as we have observed an unacceptable and dangerous erosion of the integrity of judicial institutions, which ordinarily should provide balance, checkmating institutions of government and protecting the state from a complete collapse.
“We have observed an increase in the activities of thugs, other non-state actors and violence at play, adding to the challenges of our democracy.”
He said there must be a birth of a movement to rescue the nation and democracy from the danger being seen on the horizon.
“There is an urgent need for a platform to engage political actors, national stakeholders, academia, civil society, the media, the political parties themselves, democratic institutions of other nations and all who can contribute to the wellness and sustainability of our democracy. We have created National Opposition Movement Coalition.
“This has become necessary as it is obvious that those who are elected members of the opposition have not shown the courage to take on the issues that affect the country and the well-being of the masses.
“Far from looking to evolve into a political party, we seek to engage Nigerians and offer guidance on the issues of opposition.
“We shall work towards eradicating the menace of trading in votes for a token.
“Consequences of the obnoxious practice of trading in votes will be explained through proper education and advocacy.
“Those who have continued to pilfer our common patrimony, stealing the country dry, and persons of questionable wealth cannot seize the reins of power and authority of our beloved nation under the guise of democracy. This we must not allow to persist or endure.
“We are proposing an opposition movement which will not lend itself to chaos.”
