Those plotting interim government after May 29 should perish the thought, members of Think-Tank for Democracy (T-TD), said yesterday.
T-TD is an ad hoc platform of pro-democracy activists who played key roles in fighting the military in the 1980s and 1990s.
Two members, Joe Igbokwe and Debo Adeniran, at a briefing in Lagos, said interim government would be resisted.
Igbokwe insisted the scenario in 1993 during which a free and fair election was annulled, will not be allowed in 2023.
“Those mulling the idea of interim government engage in wishful thinking,” he said.
Adeniran, representing T-TD Chairman, Lucky Akaruese, said the think-think was the outcome of a meeting by those who defended June 12 mandate.
He warned against the alleged bid of anti-democratic forces to stop the swearing-in of the President-elect Bola Tinubu.
“We must not allow this democracy to be destroyed,” he said.
T-TD Secretary, Sylvester Akhaine, said members regrouped “to prevent truncation of the democratic process”.
Admitting there were challenges with the elections, Akhaine underscored the positive developments that should be taken forward.
The don said: “One of them is the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to the effect that it negates over-voting and moderates inclination towards over-voting and manufacture of election results.
“This should be deepened to allow real-time declaration of results, which is the issue of those aggrieved with the process.
“The interest shown by the younger segment is tonic for our democracy, and this must be canalised to harvest future opportunities.“
On interim government call, khaine said: “It’s regrettable that after over two decades of democracy, the country still grapples with basic democratic principles which, if not checked, have the potential to set us back into military dictatorship.
“We asked the backers of interim government to perish the thought as we are ready to resist attempts to truncate the fourth republic.”
T-TD set an agenda for the incoming administration. It said: “Our country is plagued by poverty, unemployment, insecurity, separatist agitation, debt overhang, corruption …
“The incoming administration of Bola Tinubu needs to address these problems.
“It needs the support of every Nigerian to do so; it requires honesty of purpose. Above all, it must assemble the best and brightest to do so beyond an assemblage of party partisans.”
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