Ex-National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has expressed grave concerns about the state of democracy in Nigeria, stating that 2027 may never come due to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC)’s actions. In a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Ike Abonyi, Secondus reacted to the recent Edo State gubernatorial election, claiming that every electoral rule was manipulated to ensure the victory of the APC candidate.
He accused the ruling party of a deliberate mission to “murder and bury democracy” in Nigeria, describing the election as a display of electoral fraud with no regard for the rule of law or the electorate. Secondus pointed to the troubling patterns observed in recent off-cycle elections in Imo, Kogi, and Edo states, asserting that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), led by Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, has shown no remorse for its failures in the 2023 elections.
Further criticizing APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje for suggesting that the tactics used in Edo would be replicated in upcoming elections in Ondo and Anambra states, Secondus warned that the ruling party’s agenda appears to be the establishment of a one-party state. He emphasized that the essence of democracy lies in opposing voices that hold the ruling party accountable and cautioned that Nigeria’s democracy is precariously close to collapse due to widespread rigging.
He stated, “If the Edo Election stands, it will be difficult to carry on elections in Nigeria going forward.”