Human Rights Organisation criticises high cost of APC Presidential Aspirants’ Form

The Executive Director, Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED), Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, has criticised the high cost of presidential aspirants’ form for Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressive Congress, APC.

Speaking at a media briefing entitled: “We Must Salvage Nigeria Before it Bleeds to Death” in Abuja, the nation’s capital, Mr Zikirullahi said democracy had been commodified.

“This style of governance and democracy doesn’t have the people’s interest at heart.

“Imagine spending a hundred million naira (N100,000,000) and worse-off, our banks will also give loans to those that don’t even have that amount because they (the banks) know that as far as they are concerned, it is an investment,” he said.

Decrying the nation’s state, Mr Zikirullahi condemned the debt pileup and rampant corruption ravaging Nigeria’s economy, banditry, terrorism, and the incessant kidnapping.

He, however, commended the security forces saying, “CHRICED joins millions of well-meaning Nigerians to commend our gallant soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of this nation.

“Your sacrifice in defense of our sovereignty and democracy will never be in vain.”

HIS APPEAL TO PRESIDENT BUHARI 

Mr Zikirullahi called on the President to show commitment to the fight of insecurity by weeding out those appointees that have shown a total lack of ideas by bringing in intelligent, experienced hands that can help the administration overcome the multiple points of insecurity and drivers of insecurity in the nation.

To tackle the poor state of the economy, high unemployment, and the prohibitively high cost of living in Nigeria accounting for over 40% of the total population living in extreme poverty, the CHRICED Executive Director called on the government to pay critical attention to economic drivers in the country.

He also urged the government to reconsider and change its tactics in addressing the current Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, strike that has been on since February 14, 2022.

He called for the sack of the present minister of education, noting that “the current minister of education has shown a total lack of interest in our education sector. His disrespect for ASUU and the student association will never bring a solution to this current predicament.”

He further called on the government to cooperate and coordinate mechanisms in tackling the rising incidence of sexual and gender-based violence in the country.

“Sadly, over 12 months after the Police announced it received over 900 sexual and gender-based violence reports, we have heard very little about the number prosecuted and convicted.

“The recent death of the gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu, purportedly by her husband, is another sad reminder of this shadow pandemic in our nation,” he said.

He added that the judiciary must show new gusto to punish offenders by establishing a deterrent.

Also, the Police authorities must train and put in place systems and structures to improve their role as the first respondent.

THE DIRECTOR CALLS FOR PROGRESSIVE CHANGE THROUGH POLITICAL PARTIES

On the 2023 general elections, Mr. Zikirullahi said that “Nigeria is in a dire situation, making the 2023 elections a critical milestone in our democratic development.

“Political parties and their stalwarts owe this nation a great responsibility to search and put forward credible, hardworking, intelligent, healthy, committed candidates capable of confronting our nation’s multiple existential threats.”

He urged citizens across the country to show interest in what their political representatives intend to do to bring the country back to a progressive change as they cast their votes.

E/Suzan O.