Prince Uche Secondus, former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has accused President Bola Tinubu of overseeing what he described as the gradual liquidation of Nigeria’s democracy and economy.
Secondus made the remarks on Wednesday in Abuja during the public presentation of two books authored by veteran journalist Ike Abonyi: The Bubbles of Nigeria’s Democracy: The Musings of a Nigerian Journalist and Wadata Wonders: Memoirs of a Partisan Journalist.
The former PDP chairman said the country’s democratic system is dysfunctional, with political parties lacking ideological direction and continuity.
His words: “We are still far from getting to a point where we can say we have democracy. We don’t have democracy in our country. What we have is a platform for winning an election.”
He warned that the country is “on the verge of liquidation” under Tinubu’s leadership.
“Our country is gradually moving in the wrong direction to a place where you can say Nigeria is on the verge of liquidation, presided over by Bola Tinubu.
“Everyone in the communities, the political parties, is supposed to be a chain of command from the wards and from the units,” he stated.
Secondus lamented the weakness of political institutions in Nigeria and compared them to South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC), which he described as an “unshakable institution”.
He criticised the culture of party switching in Nigeria, saying it undermines democratic values and stability.
Highlighting the significance of documentation in national development, Secondus commended Abonyi for his contribution to political discourse through his books.
He called on political leaders to prioritise building sustainable political institutions.
“Until we establish proper democratic political parties where people can stay 30, 40, 50 years, build and reconstruct, the country will not move forward,” he said.