The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged Nigerian security agencies and judiciary to take a cue from their counterparts in the United States and not interfere in the elections in Nigeria.
The party stated this in a Sunday statement congratulating President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
In the statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party also congratulated Americans for a successful and peaceful election in strict adherence to democratic principles and extant laws of their country, despite the intense competition.
The PDP asserted that the election was a lesson to leaders that power resides with the people and that there is a limit to how any individual can hold a people to ransom.
“Our party holds that the United States’ Presidential election presents lessons to our emerging electoral system, particularly on the independence of the electoral body as well as showing respect for the rights of the citizens to democratically choose their leaders, irrespective of preferences or predilections of incumbents.
“Indeed, the manifest non-interference by the security forces and the judiciary in the US election calls out the current situation in our country where security agencies and compromised judicial officers are used to muzzle election and subvert the will of the people as largely witnessed in the last five years, particularly in the 2019 general elections.
“The US election also serves as a strong lesson to our nation on the need to strengthen our institutions while focusing on our processes and rules instead of strengthening individuals,” the statement read in part.
PDP charged President Muhammadu Buhari to draw lessons from the post-election remarks of the US President-elect by addressing the alleged divisive tendencies, nepotism and marginalisation which characterise his administration as well as other actions and policies that threaten the stability, unity and development of Nigeria.
“However, in congratulating the US President-elect, the PDP urges him to use his new office to promote world unity, peace, global economic, political and international trade collaborations with focus on Africa as well as the developing world,” PDP stated.