Democracy in bondage, stop influencing elections - Atiku tells governing elite

Atiku, who flew the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag in the February 25, 2023, presidential election, said this on the eve of Democracy Day celebration in Nigeria.

Since 2019, Nigeria has been celebrating democracy day on June 12. The day is symbolic in the democratic history of the country as it represents the struggle and endurance of the late Moshood Kolawole Abiola (MKO), the winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election held on the same date.

Meanwhile, in a statement released on Sunday, June 11, 2023, the former Vice President called on governing elite to desist from influencing elections.

He said the occasion of Democracy Day is a time for Nigerians to reflect on the country's journey to becoming a fully democratic society.

Atiku said, “Democracy without a corresponding commitment to the principles of fairness and fidelity to the rule of play by stakeholders in the processes of conducting elections still leaves the people prostrate to tendencies of dictatorship,” the former Vice President stated.

“For our democracy to be fully fledged, it must constantly evolve away from the current practice where the governing elite determines the outcome of elections.”

The PDP presidential candidate also said the evolution of Nigeria’s democracy requires a lot of work before it can materialise.

He said, “Democracy and the process of democratization is a constant work in progress. While what we celebrate today is a return to civil rule in Nigeria, the desire to make our democracy self-sustaining and independent of anti-democratic elements is the new frontier of participation by all democrats.

“The challenge ahead of us and the future of our democracy will rely heavily on what we do or fail to do today.

“As I congratulate Nigerians on this day, in celebration of return to civil rule, I also call our consciousness to the reality that democracy in Nigeria remains in bondage and it will need the energy of all of us to rescue it.”