The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged Nigerians to use every legitimate means to resist fascist tendencies and defend the nation’s democracy from totalitarianism.

It said 2024 offers Nigerians the opportunity to re-invent and assert themselves as a free people under democratic order; set aside every ethnic, religious and political partitioning; and resist anti-democratic forces seeking to undermine the Constitution and laws; emasculate institutions of democracy and “foist a fascist regime on our nation.”

In a New Year message issued by  its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, PDP noted that the assault on democracy institutions, including the “emasculation of the National Assembly to prevent it from playing its constitutional role of holding the Executive accountable; the compromising of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the appointment of card-carrying APC members as Resident Electoral Commissioners” and alleged attempts to also compromise the judiciary and anti-corruption agencies were pointers to emerging totalitarianism.

The party said Nigerians and indeed the civil society must speak out against “the recklessness and lack of transparency of the APC administration that led to the collapse of the Naira; the alleged massive looting of funds, including proceeds from the removal of subsidy on petroleum products; the skewing of the 2024 budget in favour of luxury appetite of the Presidency and APC leaders without concrete policies and programmes to revive the economy, create jobs and address the comatose manufacturing and productive sectors.”

The PDP further lamented that “the hardship, infrastructural stagnation and uncertainty occasioned by the insensitive and anti-people economic policies of the Tinubu-led APC government have led to serious ⁠social dislocation of life and family with negative consequences on our national life.”

On its part, the APC in Lagos State implored Nigerians to unite to make the country a better place this year.

State party chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, made the appeal in his New Year message yesterday in Lagos.

He said: “2023 has gone into history and we give gratitude to God for making us witness the beginning of Year 2024 in good health of mind and body. May He lead us through this New Year with His divine favour and grace.

“My dear Lagosians, let’s agree to make this year a better one than 2023. Let’s put partisan politics that dotted 2023 behind us and forge ahead to continue to make our state the Centre of Excellence, and by extension, make Nigeria an excellent nation.

“We must be seen to be engaging in productive activities and actions that will reflect the phrase above.”

He lauded Nigerians for supporting and electing President Bola Tinubu.

The chairman assured residents that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his team were ready to make the new year “a glorious one for us through superlative performance. It is only left for you and me to do everything to cooperate with them in making life better for us.”