2027: Okorie Tasks Fed Govt, Others On Citizen Participation

Founding national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chekwas Okorie, has urged the federal government and the relevant agencies in collaboration with civil society and pro-democracy organisations to ensure stronger citizen participation in the 2027 elections.

Okorie, the convener and national chairman of Igbo Agenda Dialogue (IAD), a pan-Igbo non-partisan socio-political and pro-democracy organisation, made the call in an “Open Letter to President Bola Tinubu.”

He said the deplorable and unprecedented security situation in Nigeria is public knowledge that has attracted unenviable international attention.

Okorie pointed out that the appalling 20 per cent turnout in our general elections speaks to the illegitimacy of the outcomes.

He insisted that nobody who is a product of such outcome should beat his chest and say that the people have spoken through the ballot box.

“Discerning Nigerians are waiting to hear quality proposals  by politicians and their political parties especially the ruling party about what they intend to do differently to alleviate the plight of the citizens if given the opportunity to serve in the offices of their aspiration after 2027 elections.

“Unfortunately what we hear are threats, acerbic tantrum and arrogant claims about how the forthcoming elections have been won and lost.

“Your Excellency, you have a responsibility to assure Nigerians that the 2027 elections will be fair, credible and transparent. You have a responsibility to rein in some of your overzealous  aides and appointees to moderate their rhetoric and provocations.

“The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, enjoys obvious incumbency advantages from the Party’s control of the National Assembly to the overwhelming majority of the State and local government structures in the country,”  the letter reads in part.

Okorie maintained that the ruling party ought to concentrate its efforts on strategy and issue based campaigns to translate the advantages it currently enjoys into electoral victory in a free and fair election.

He, however alleged that the antics of some prominent leaders of the ruling party smacks of panic and lack of confidence.

Okorie suggested that the APC, the Presidency and its numerous state and local governments should be directed to set the tone for issue-based campaigns.

He maintained that incessant arrest and detention of high profile political leaders especially leaders of the opposition political parties which may suggest deliberate clampdown to put them out of circulation at this time should be avoided.