June 12: DPC warns on attempt to elongate public office holders

The Democratic People’s Congress (DPC) has warned against the attempt by elected public office holders to elongate their tenure insisting that May 2019 handover date is sacrosanct.
DPC National Chairman, Rev Olusegun Peters in a press statement made available to journalists in Abuja noted that President Muhammadu Buhari’s divide-and-rule tactics in his desperate effort to perpetuate himself in office declared June 12 Democracy Day.
According to him, President Buhari’s declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day in place of May 29 was uncalled for.
He said “It is a desperate attempt by a government that has failed to fulfil its campaign promises to the masses to alter the nation’s political structure in exchange for reelection.
“There should be limit to politicization of critical democratic structures in Nigeria like the handover date to a new government which May 29 symbolizes.
“President Buhari cannot unilaterally change the goal post in the middle of a democratic contest because it has dawned on him that he will be defeated in the 2019 presidential polls due to poor performance.
“DPC does not oppose any honour President Buhari accords to the Late Chief Moshood Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election annulled by General Ibrahim Babangida so long he does not tamper, alter or destroy the nation’s political structure in a desperate bid to remain in power or favour a section of the country.
“It is obvious that Chief Abiola, Ambassador Babangida Kingibe, Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) and thousands of Nigerians resisted the military dictatorship, fought for the validation of June 12 presidential polls and democracy and eventually forced the military to handover to democratically elected leaders on May 29, 1999, which former President Olusegun Obasanjo declared Democracy Day in 2000.
“President Buhari should also honour other Nigerians who played key roles in the actualization of democratic governance in Nigeria and provide dividends of democracy to the longsuffering compatriots and not carnage as obtainable today.
“DPC will continue to move on with the people in building a decent democratic nation,” he said.