The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Debo Ologunagba, has submitted that the party’s primaries that led to the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate were free and fair.
Mr. Ologunagba explained that the primaries were not conducted to favor any region, but based solely on democratic principles.
He said this in an interview with Arise News on Tuesday on democracy and governance in Nigeria.
The PDP spokesperson highlighted the complexity of Nigeria’s political structure, insisting that the country needs to adopt a comprehensive perspective in determining its political future.
Ologunagba appealed to Nigerians to live beyond the north-south political divide.
“We, as a party, allowed a free field to everyone who was eligible to participate in the contest. Northerners and Southerners contested, and someone won the election, the primary, but… happened to be Atiku Abubakar. If democracy exists and something like that happens, I don’t see why you would blame anyone for it.”
“Nigeria’s highly volatile political landscape has about 45 or more ethnic groups competing for attention,” he noted.
“If you look at this country and see things that are good for a country with inequality like Nigeria, you should try to get rid of your own particular partisan image as much as possible and look at the bigger picture. “We must strive to do so,” he said.
Regarding the political system in the country, Ologunagba said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could do better.
“For the PDP that I represent, I think what is more important as a people is to talk about the fact that democracy is what it should be, the will of the people, the institutions, especially where the will of the people is. INEC will do exactly what it needs to do with respect to Nigeria.
“I am sure you will agree that INEC can do better. It is not working and we should all come together and say so, regardless of the area where we are challenged.”
“I am not speaking on behalf of the North or against the North. I am talking about good governance,” the PDP leader submitted.
