Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Leader Senator Bola TinubuAction Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Leader Senator Bola Tinubu has lamented the threat to security in the country, urging the United States to assist Nigeria in tackling both terrorism and corruption.
He also called for Nigerian-American cooperation in the strengthening of democratic institutions.
Tinubu spoke in Lagos when he received an official of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ms. Tamara Klajn. He said America should help Nigeria to strengthen its capacity in these vital areas, adding that they are pre-conditions for democracy, development and prosperity.
Tinubu said: “Nigeria is tense and uncertain, and it is drifting. There is a disturbing sense of a lack of capacity at the highest level of governance. There is therefore an urgent need to develop democratic institutions.
“Strengthening democratic institution should begin with institutional guarantees of free and fair elections; as well as strengthening the judiciary”.
The former Lagos State governor lamented that the 2011 elections were not free and fair as expected, pointing out that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)manipulated the process to ACN’s detriment.
He added: “After ACN’s showing in 2011, the PDP has decided that the ACN would not win any further elections. All the elections since then have been flawed. INEC is sliding backwards.
“PDP has tried to undermine the opposition, especially the Action Congress of Nigeria, and I personally have suffered political persecution. The international community needs to press the Nigerian government now on electoral reform and not believe that the issue has been resolved or that INEC is passable.”
“The moment elections are not free, and you cannot settle election disputes, the next step would be in the streets. That would be bad for any country, as even the menace of Boko Haram would be a child’s play”.
Tinubu also drew the delegation’s attention to the dwindling confidence in the judiciary, adding that the organ should be strengthened, since the rule of law held a pride of place in a democracy, with its endless political disputes and law interpretations.
He lauded the US government for aiding Nigeria in counter-terrorism tactics as it was clear in the fight against Boko Haram, but suggested an effective oversight to avoid turning the gadgets into spy materials of political opponents.
Tinubu said beyond the provision of gadgets to counter terrorism,United States should help Nigeria to confront and defeat social injustices and economic deprivations that serve as the root cause of terrorism.
He said the United States must be a partner-in-progress with Nigeria to strengthen the political party system, such that multi-party democracy would develop.
He also called on the US government to help build the Nigerian government’s capacity to fight corruption.
On Miss Klajn’s delegation was Joseph Stafford, US Consul-General in Lagos and other consulate officials.
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