- Safiu Kehinde
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged Nigerians to oppose what it described as an ignoble trip towards electoral authoritarianism allegedly orchestrated by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
PDP gave the charge in reaction to the latest defection involving Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
NPO Reported that Fubara had yesterday defected from the PDP to the APC.
The Rivers governor announced his defection, which came barely three months after return from his six months suspension, during stakeholders’ meeting at the government house in Port Harcourt.
Fubara had cited his desire to support President Bola Tinubu as reason for his defection to the ruling party.
Reacting to the development in a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Enemobong, the PDP described the development as a testament of the dysfunctional nature of Nigeria’s democracy.
It accused the APC of unrelenting disposition towards attainment of one-party state through constriction of political space.
“The Rivers situation is a testament to the dysfunctional nature of our democracy, where individuals are bigger and stronger than institutions and can use the apparatus of the Federal Government to obfuscate political life out of their opponents and bring them to their knees.
“Democracy is terribly threatened by acts of this kind, and all well-meaning people should unify in condemning this progressive decline of democratic norms.
“We reiterate to Nigerians and the global community that with the unrelenting disposition of the ruling party towards the attainment of a one-party state, and the constriction of the political space, democracy is under severe attack in Nigeria.
“Everyone must rise together to oppose this ignoble trip toward electoral authoritarianism.” The party stated.
Confirming Fubara’s defection, the PDP described his move to the APC as pitiful.
It however warned the Rivers governor against blaming the party for his defection.
While wishing the governor well, the PDP prayed for him not to suffer from Stockholm Syndrome, a situation where a victim falls in love with his captor.
The PDP held that Fubara’s decision was borne out of threat of existential proportion as it recalled the ordeal that led to his six months suspension which the party described as a self-inflicted injury.
It charged the governor to rather praise the party, civil society organisations, and all Nigerians who freely stood up in his defence during the crisis.
“This news as pitiful as it is, is an exemplar of the old legal maxim Volenti non fit injuria, meaning “to one who is willing, no harm can be done”.
“Everyone who has followed the developments that culminated in this uneventful defection, will recall that the Governor willingly travelled the path that took him to this destination.
“Having done so voluntarily, he cannot turn around and accuse our party, or any other person or group of abandoning or not protecting him.
“Whilst a person who is at a crossroad of threats of existential proportion, will most likely suffer from temporary amnesia caused by trauma, the Governor should have nothing less than praise for our party, civil society organisations, and all Nigerians who freely stood up in his defence since this crisis started until he capitulated.
“It is our prayer that the Governor should not suffer from Stockholm Syndrome, where a victim falls in love with his captor.
“In all, despite these, we pity the Governor and wish him well. ” The statement read further.