David Mark, national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has accused President Bola Tinubu of attempting to destroy opposition political parties in Nigeria.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Mark
asked why Tinubu is afraid of a free and fair election if he is confident of
his performance as the president.
The press briefing followed the decision of the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) to derecognise the Mark-led national
working committee (NWC) of ADC.
On Wednesday, the electoral body announced that it would no
longer recognise the factions of the ADC led by David or Rafiu Bala, following
its review of the court of appeal judgement.
INEC said the move was in compliance with an order of the
court of appeal directing the commission to maintain the status quo pending the
resolution of the leadership dispute currently before a federal high court.
But the Mark-led faction rejected INEC’s interpretation of
the appellate court ruling, accusing the electoral body of acting under
external pressure.
The Mark-led faction and Bala, ADC factional chairman, have
been engaging in a series of legal battles over the party’s leadership.
‘APC-LED FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNDERMINING OPPOSITION PARTIES’
Mark said Nigerians have witnessed how the All Progressives
Congress (APC)-led federal government has “undermined and compromised” other
opposition political parties in Nigeria.
The former senate president said the ADC has remained the
“bastion” between Nigeria’s democracy and full-blown dictatorship.
“What is now unfolding is a concerted effort to dismantle
that last bulwark. If we allow this to happen, it could signal the end of our
democracy as we know it today,” he said.
“If we yield to it, we would have become complicit in our
inaction. We, therefore, hold it as a duty to our democracy and to the Nigerian
people to say no.
“Right now, I speak to Nigerians at home and in the
diaspora. I also speak directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“With 90 percent of the national assembly and over 30 of
Nigeria’s 36 state governors in the APC, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, what are
you afraid of?
“If you are convinced that you have done well for the people
who voted for you, why are you afraid of a free, fair, and transparent
electoral contest?
“If you are indeed the democrat that you claim to be, why
are you bent on destroying all opposition political parties in this country?
Let me reiterate for the record, there are no competing claims on the
leadership of the ADC.”
Mark said Bala has “no locus” in the leadership of the ADC,
adding that INEC should have allowed the court of appeal to decide the case
before taking a decision.
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