Our reporter/ The Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi on Sunday pledged not to relent in his fight to bring about the leadership that Nigerians deserve.
The former Anambra state governor, who made the pledge in a Democracy Day message, said that the events of June 12 should inspire the country to correct the errors of the 2023 elections.
According to the LP candidate, Nigerians on June 12, 1993, stated their unreserved preference for true democracy and chose a transparent voting system despite being under military rule.
“Our votes reflected our true choice as a people. Our choice on that day defied divisions of ethnicity, religion, and region,” Obi said.
“It is these qualities that added up to make June 12 special in our search for true democracy.
“However, the current state of our politics tells a different story. Our democracy is deeply troubled while our nation’s destiny remains uncertain and precarious.
“We remain a nation in search of solutions to too many basic problems. One of these is the search for a credible electoral system that would command the trust, confidence, and belief of all Nigerians just like June 12 did.
“We should, therefore, use the commemoration of June 12 as an occasion to return to the true virtues of a truly democratic nation. We achieved that feat on June 12, 1993.”
He said Nigeria needs to have an electoral system that commands the trust of the people.
“This is in recognition of the tenets and core values of democracy, which rest on respect for the wishes of the people as expressed in their ballots,” Obi said.
“Above all, the government must respect and protect the institutions of the democratic state by respecting the social contract with the people by meeting their needs, obeying their wishes, and fulfilling the responsibilities of responsible governance as contained in the constitution.
“A cardinal responsibility of government in this regard is respect for the rule of law.”
He said Nigeria is in an era where the foundational pillars of democracy are undermined by “prevalent impunity and pervasive violence, and bloodletting”.
“The trust deficit between the leaders and Nigerians continues to expand. The deficits of trust and efficiency in our last elections demonstrate this malady quite boldly.”
Obi urged Nigerians not to lose faith in the inbuilt design of “our democratic system to self-correct”.
He expressed commitment and conviction that a new Nigeria is possible, noting that Nigerians’ aspiration for a nation of equity, justice, security, and peace is achievable.
“We are a nation blessed richly with human and natural resources,” he said.
“What we lack, are selfless leaders who are committed to the national interest, sustainable development, and innovative thinking that offers every Nigerian irrespective of ethnicity, religion, or social strata, the freedom of choice of abode, and protection of lives, property, and ordered liberties.
“These aspirations are real and achievable, and I hereby reiterate my promise to Nigerians that we will not relent in our fight to bring about leadership that will accord them the priority they deserve.”
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