The government’s recent arrests of military officials for allegedly planning a coup serve as a reminder that any attempt at a civilian coup is similar to election rigging, as opposed to a military takeover, according to Kenneth Okonkwo, a prominent member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
During an interview on Channels TV, he emphasized the recent debate surrounding the ruling party’s decision to eliminate indirect primaries.
By concentrating candidate selection, the unexpected removal of indirect primaries undermines internal party democracy, according to Okonkwo, who was furious about the change.
He claimed that this centralization limits the chances for real involvement in candidate selection by marginalizing grassroots party members and benefiting incumbents.
The politician cautioned that these changes allow the ruling party to force its chosen candidates into place, turning political elections into predetermined processes in which delegates have no say.
He argued that this manipulation of party rules undermines electoral fairness by reducing competition and eroding public faith in the political system.
Additionally, Okonkwo addressed the contradictions in the government’s position on the electronic transmission of election results, highlighting the inconsistencies in policy implementation.
He noted that, despite the government’s current mandate that all political parties register their membership entirely online, electoral authorities have long maintained that nationwide electronic transmission is not possible due to infrastructure issues and network restrictions.
These steps, according to the head of the ADC, seem to be intended to solidify the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) in power by establishing regulatory barriers and selectively enforcing laws that put opposition parties at a disadvantage.
“So Tinubu just arrested some military people and said they planned a coup against him, for anyone who wants to carry out a civilian coup,” he said. That’s a military coup. A civilian coup occurs when elections are rigged.See_More…