…Unveils book on June 12.
By: Oke Steve
State Chairman of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Rivers State, Amb.Solsuema Osaro, has called for a total overhauling of the Nigerian electoral system as a way to guaranteeing the integrity of the electoral process .
Osaro who is also the chairman of
the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the state stared this during an event to mark June 12 Democracy Day and the launch of his book, The Chronicles of June 12, in Port Harcourt Rivers State.
He expressed dismay at the sliding state of democracy in the country since the June 12 elections won by Chief MKO Abiola of the the SDP.
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According to the IPAC Chairman, the Nigerian state has witnessed a continual erosion of the democratic process aledging that all the elections held in the country since 1999, none can be said to be free and fair as that witnessed in the June 12 elections.
Osaro noted that Nigeria has failed to build strong Institutions that should guarantee free, fair and independent electoral process, lamenting that rather, individuals have continued to dictate the processes and decide who wins elections in the country.
He therefore blamed the nation’s democratic failures on the respective leadership of the country stressing that they have not shown commitment in redefining and sustaining democratic ideals and values that inspires confidence to the Nigerian populace.
He equally condemned the state of emergency imposed on Rivers State by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration describing the situation as an aberration.
“How can we say we are celebrating Democracy Day on June 12, while Rivers State is under an emergency rule because one man decided it. It is a total aberration and I will appeal to the President to restore democratic rule in the state,” the IPAC chairman stated.
The SDP chairman assured that his party was disposed to welcoming Nigerians willing to join the party adding that the SDP will tap from the experiences of the political heavy weights that are desiring to join it’s fold and would use such to right the wrongs in the nation’s political process.
Osaro said he decided to write the ‘Chronicles of June 12, the Perspective of a Wítness”as a way of reminiscing on the successes of the June 12 elections and immortalizing the winner of the elections which he said was declared as the most free and fair by all standards.
Also speaking, a stalwart of the SDP in Rivers State, Dr. Emiyare Sobere Etete, described the unveiling of the book as deserving of a man, he said remains the icon of democracy and an embodiment of the right democracy ideals in the country.
Dr. Etete who frowned at the brand of democracy in place in the country, regretted that democracy and the nation’s electoral processes has been heavily bastardized as a result of alleged failed leadership.
The former governorship candidate who extolled the sterling qualities of Osaro in writing the book, also charged younger generations of Nigerians to get involved in the political processes of the nation to enable them institute the ideal democratic process for the future.
The event tagged “June 12 Colloquium: The Journey of Democracy and Government in Nigeria” was attended by Nigerians of all works of life including politicians, the civil society and the general public.
