The Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations has condemned the alleged manipulation of the All Progressives Congress senatorial primary election in the Niger South Senatorial District of Niger State, describing it as a dangerous assault on democracy under Governor Umaru Muhammad Bago’s administration.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the Deputy National Secretary of CNCSOs, Comrade Danesi Momoh Prince, said the coalition was alarmed, disappointed, and outraged by widespread allegations of manipulation, suppression of internal democracy, abuse of state power, and political imposition that reportedly characterized the primary election.
“What transpired in Niger State cannot be described as democracy. It cannot be described as a transparent political process. It cannot even pass as a credible party primary election by the most basic democratic standards,” Prince stated.
He said reports from aggrieved aspirants, stakeholders, delegates, and party faithful indicated that the exercise was “nothing short of a carefully supervised political charade allegedly designed to impose predetermined outcomes on party members against their collective will.”
The coalition alleged that lawful delegates and party members were denied participation, accreditation processes were manipulated, voting procedures compromised, and results written from Government House purportedly announced without transparency, credibility, or broad acceptance among stakeholders and without INEC officials present.
“This is not merely an internal party affair. It is a direct threat to democratic culture, political accountability, and the rule of law in Nigeria,” Prince said.
He noted that political conversations in Niger State were now dominated by the question, “Is Your Candidate the Governor’s Friend?” describing it as evidence of the frustration, exclusion, and hopelessness allegedly created by the collapse of internal democracy within the ruling party structure in the state.
The CNCSOs demanded the immediate intervention of the national leadership of the APC and relevant democratic institutions. It called for an urgent and independent investigation into the allegations of interference, abuse of political influence, and manipulation of internal party democratic processes allegedly linked to the Niger State Government.
The coalition also demanded the immediate cancellation and nullification of the purported primary election and the conduct of a fresh, credible, transparent, inclusive, and democratically acceptable primary conducted strictly in line with the Electoral Act, the Constitution of the APC, and established democratic procedures.
“We warn that continued suppression of internal democracy within political parties will only produce deeper political divisions, endless litigations, voter apathy, and avoidable instability capable of threatening the future electoral fortunes of political parties involved,” Prince warned.
The group called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC National Working Committee, civil society organisations, and Nigerians to rise in defence of democracy before political impunity becomes fully institutionalized in Niger State. It also urged security agencies to remain neutral and professional in protecting the democratic rights of citizens.
The CNCSOs said it was consulting widely and mobilising across the country for what may become one of the largest peaceful civil resistance movements in recent political history, including a proposed ten-million-man solidarity march. It placed allied civil society organisations, pro-democracy groups, faith-based organisations, youth movements, labour groups, and other stakeholders on notice to begin preparations for sustained lawful civic engagements and coordinated mass actions should the demands for justice be ignored.
“The era where political leaders treat democratic institutions as personal property must come to an end. Democracy belongs to the people, and the people reserve the constitutional right to peacefully demand accountability whenever democratic values are threatened,” Prince said.
