The Southwest leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), under Honourable Rahman Owokoniran, has called on the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to allow democracy to breathe in the country.

Speaking on the lingering crisis in the major opposition parties, particularly the ADC, Owokoniran said, “No democracy can survive without a viable and sustainable opposition.”

He stated that recent inflammatory remarks by some APC chieftains, even on live television programmes, coupled with what he called the “unprecedented actions” of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against the leadership of the ADC, left Nigerians as well as the international community in no doubt that the Tinubu administration was allergic to viable opposition.

Owokoniran said such actions posed a serious threat to democracy and its sustainability.

He said, “It is visible to the blind and audible to the deaf that the process that gave birth to the Distinguished Senator David Mark-led ADC National Working Committee passed through a well-defined process in accordance with the Electoral Law, the Constitution, as well as INEC guidelines, supervision, and coordination.

“This same commission swore an affidavit at the Federal High Court in Abuja attesting to a complete leadership process which produced the Senator David Mark-led National Working Committee. The big question is: what has suddenly changed?

“The pronouncement of the Court regarding the maintenance of status quo ante bellum is explicit even to a non-legal person, but it was nefariously interpreted by Professor Joash Amupitan-led Independent National Electoral Commission to suit the purpose of his employer.

“Eminent personalities, legal practitioners, icons, and senior and eminent legal luminaries locally and internationally have lent their voices to condemn this obvious and daring fraud. Yet, INEC seems adamant, bent on destroying our democracy and setting Nigeria on edge.

“It has never happened in the history of Nigeria that a ruling party exhibits such great fear of elections and intolerance for opposition parties.

“It could be recalled that the African Democratic Congress has been relating with the commission since the inauguration, which was monitored by INEC. The leadership change process was duly collected. The party, in compliance with INEC requirements, wrote to inform INEC of the dates for our congresses as well as the National Convention. Suddenly, the commission came up with the most strange news of derecognising the National Working Committee of the party, all aimed at stopping us from contesting against the ruling party, APC.

“The leadership of the African Democratic Congress Southwest, led by Honourable Rahman Owokoniran, joins its voice with that of Nigerian democrats at home and abroad to call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his political party to cease putting pressure on the INEC Chairman and allow him to respect the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Law. The two should stop undermining our democracy. They should not throw Nigeria into anarchy.

“Nigerians across political lines have made their voices heard. Their voices must be respected. Nigerians must be respected. Professor Joash Amupitan-led Independent National Electoral Commission must restore the David Mark-led National Working Committee and allow the law to take its course.

“Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians. The Nigerian people should be given the right and freedom to political association as well as the choice of their leaders.” (Nigerian Tribune)