The Peoples Democratic Party has called on the international community to impose sanctions, including a visa ban, on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for undermining democracy in Nigeria.
The party stated this while reacting to a comment credited to the President wherein he claimed that opposition parties lost the presidential election because of overconfidence and lack of strategy.
While describing the remark as reckless, the PDP said history would not be kind to him as the comment was capable of destroying the nation’s corporate existence.
Addressing a press conference at the party’s national secretariat on Friday, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba said, “Having clearly undermined democracy in Nigeria, the PDP calls on the international community to accordingly impose sanctions including visa ban and travel restrictions on Buhari and his family immediately he vacates office on May 29, 2023.
“This demand for sanction is in line with President Buhari’s request on February 17, 2022, in Brussels, Belgium, wherein he called on the European Union to impose ‘weighty sanctions’ on those engaged in ‘unconstitutional change of governments’ as well as those influencing the ‘process and outcomes of elections’.”
“It is instructive to state that part of the electoral process is the adjudication by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal which is considering petitions arising from the election.
“The President, Major General Buhari (retd.) by his subjudice statement, is clearly interfering in the electoral process ostensibly to influence the outcome and undermine the constitutionally laid down procedures for change of government.”
According to the party, the February 25 presidential election had been judged across the nation and globally as the worst in the history of our country.
The party added that the presidential election was marred by brazen violations of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, Independent National Electoral Commission Regulations and Guidelines, and manipulation of processes.
It stated that the poll was marred by the alteration of genuine results from polling units, the announcement of fabricated figures, and “climaxed by the vexatious declaration of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner”.
It also said it was unpardonable that the President did not uphold the laws of our country to ensure a free, fair, credible, and transparent election.
