The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of failing to uphold the principles of democratic sportsmanship in Nigeria’s electoral process.
PDP’s National Chairman, Umar Damagun, made the allegation on Thursday during a meeting with the European Union Election Observation Follow-up Mission in Abuja. He expressed concern over what he described as recurring flaws in the conduct of elections under the current administration.
Damagun pointed to recent polls as examples of systemic challenges, alleging that the processes were compromised by irregularities and misconduct that undermined the credibility of the exercise.
“Unfortunately, this spirit of democratic sportsmanship has not been matched by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC,” he said. “As you have observed, the conduct of recent elections continues to be marred by widespread irregularities, ranging from the abuse of state resources and security institutions to blatant voter suppression, intimidation, vote-buying, and the deliberate subversion of electoral processes.”
The PDP chairman stressed that the persistent misuse of state machinery during elections threatens Nigeria’s democratic values and erodes public confidence in electoral outcomes. He added that unless these concerns are addressed, the credibility of future elections would remain in question.
The meeting with the EU delegation, which focused on Nigeria’s electoral reforms and democratic governance, provided the opposition party with an opportunity to restate its dissatisfaction with the electoral process. Damagun urged the international community to continue monitoring Nigeria’s democratic practices while encouraging stronger institutions that can guarantee fairness and transparency.
While the APC has yet to issue a direct response to the fresh allegations, the ruling party has in the past dismissed similar claims by the PDP, often describing them as attempts to deflect from the opposition’s own internal challenges.
Political analysts note that the exchange underscores the deepening rift between Nigeria’s two dominant political parties, with the PDP intensifying calls for reforms ahead of future elections.
