Chairman of Lagos State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Engr. Adedeji Doherty, has called on Nigerians to prevail over President Muhammadu Buhari, National Assembly, and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fix necessary loopholes in the electoral system before 2023.
Making the call during a Town Hall meeting held in Lagos on Saturday, Doherty said the existing electoral system could not guarantee free, fair, and credible elections. According to him, “The current electoral system has been our undoing since 1999 and it is also one of the factors emboldening individuals to plant their stooges in elected positions.”
Doherty said a situation, where election results are finally decided by the courts, is unacceptable in a working democracy.
He cited Lagos as an example, saying: “The lopsided electoral system has given room to some individual to always manipulate elections and plant loyalists in elected positions instead of allowing people’s wish to thrive.”
Doherty also told the PDP gathering that the existing system could not guarantee a better future for any Nigerian. He said: “There is no future for young people in a socio-economic and political atmosphere where one person decides the fate of every other citizen. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is not adding value to the country because of its style of governance and it would amount to a disaster if the party is allowed to continue beyond 2023. The excruciating economic condition Nigerians are currently facing is as a result of maladministration and mismanagement of public resources by political leaders both at state and federal level.” (Guardian)