ABUJA — The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has called on Nigerians to rise in defense of democracy, warning against what it described as attempts by the current administration to impose tyrannical rule.
CUPP National Secretary, Peter Ameh, made the appeal on Monday in Abuja while reacting to last week’s reported attack on Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the 2023 Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Lagos State, and supporters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), allegedly carried out by political thugs.
Ameh expressed outrage that the violence was said to have taken place in the presence of armed policemen who were expected to safeguard peace and order.
“We must fiercely resist tyranny with unwavering resolve. As a united people, we must boldly defend our rights and freedoms against oppressive assaults,” Ameh declared.
He warned Nigerians not to allow fear to shape their response to acts of political intimidation, stressing that leaders should be accountable to the people rather than instill fear in them.
“Those elected into public offices are supposed to be accountable to the people, but what we have today are leaders who expect those who voted them into power to fear them. They use institutions of government to intimidate and oppress the very citizens they are meant to protect. We must not allow this to continue unchallenged,” he said.
The CUPP, therefore, urged collective action to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic values, insisting that state institutions must serve the people and not be weaponized against them.
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