Democratic practices declining under APC, Ayu tells EU observers

• Convention: Integrity group faults Amaechi, El-rufai over alleged consensus plot
• Grant Osinbajo right of first refusal, youth body urges party leaders

National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of compromising Nigeria’s democracy, saying democratic values have declined sharply under its presidential stewardship.

He made the accusation while receiving a seven-man delegation of the European Union Election Observer Mission (EU-EOM), led by the Chief Election Observer, Ms. Maria Arena.

Describing the PDP as a “party that believes fiercely in democracy and its transparent processes,” the national chairman said the PDP was proud that for 16 years, it not only safeguarded Nigeria’s democracy, but it also set-up institutions that deepened and strengthened it.

“We are worried that instead of strengthening the democratic process, which will better serve the people, we are seeing a sustained decline in those democratic practices,” he said.

He said areas of dissatisfaction include: “Conduct of compromised elections, use of security agents to attack judges, attacking citizens instead of protecting them, and subverting electoral processes.”

He appealed to the EU-EOM to take special interest in the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States scheduled for June and July, and make its observations available to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders, with a view to making the 2023 general elections free, fair and credible.

MEANWHILE, as the APC national convention draws near, some stakeholders under the aegis of APC Integrity Group (APCIG) have warned Minister of Transportation Chibuike Amaechi and Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-rufai to avoid actions that could throw the party into needless crisis.

The group, in a statement, alleged that the duo has continued to create impression that Senator Abdullahi Adamu has been adopted as consensus national chairman.

The group denied claims that President Muhammadu Buhari has endorsed the former Nasarawa State governor as chairman. It argued that Buhari is close to all the candidates and would not have adopted any of them without consulting the others.

According to the coordinator of the group, Mallam Dawu Mohammed, and Secretary, Comrade Chinsom Nwakanma, “The issue of endorsement of a candidate by President Buhari is a fluke and should be disregarded.”

ALSO, an APC youth group, yesterday, urged leaders of the party to grant Vice President Yemi Osinbajo the right of first refusal, saying there should be “no argument, no second guessing as to the suitability of Osinbajo to succeed Buhari as President in 2023.”

At a press conference in Abuja, leader of the group, Husseni Yusuff, expressed hope that Buhari will cause Osinbajo to emerge the consensus candidate of the APC.