Abuja: An APC Chieftain, Princess Nikky Onyeri, who serves as the National Convener of the Forum of APC Female Aspirants 2027 (FAFAN), has emphasized that democracy should be centered around the people’s choice rather than being influenced by sentiment or coercion. Onyeri voiced her concerns about ethnic politics among certain politicians during a press briefing held on Thursday in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Onyeri criticized a message from the Igbo Elders Consultative Forum that urged Ndi Igbo in Abuja to support the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for the AMAC chairmanship in the upcoming February 21 council elections. She described this as an undemocratic move, noting that some groups are encouraging Igbos to vote exclusively for the SDP’s Igbo candidate.
Onyeri condemned the circulating message, asserting, “There is no such thing as Igbo stakeholders coming together to endorse an Igbo candidate. Nigerians should vote for candidates based on personal choice, not on religion or tribe.” She stressed that electoral credibility relies on Nigerians’ collective resolve to freely choose their preferred candidates. The APC, she added, is committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in all electoral processes.
She further highlighted that democracy thrives on credibility, not force or manipulation. “If elections are not free, fair, and transparent, the foundation of governance becomes unstable,” Onyeri warned. She questioned the legitimacy of any group claiming to represent Igbo interests without a proper mandate.
Onyeri urged citizens to weigh their choices carefully, cautioning that tribal loyalty and religious sentiment should not overshadow reason, evidence, and character assessment. She called on the electorate to support leaders with competence and integrity, focused on addressing Nigeria’s challenges. Onyeri urged Nigerians to prioritize national interests over ethnic and religious considerations.
She attributed the country’s current challenges to politics driven by sentiment, which has not benefited the nation. Voters, she suggested, should focus on candidates who offer viable solutions to economic, security, and other pressing issues. Politicians exploiting religion and ethnicity for electoral gain are, in her view, enemies of the people.
Onyeri also called for a commitment to true democratic principles to foster unity, peace, and development, expressing hope that the elections would herald a new beginning for AMAC and Nigeria as a whole.
She noted that the political climate in Nigeria has led to conversations that often neglect the welfare of the people, who should be the central concern of political endeavors. Despite these challenges, Onyeri maintained that democracy remains the best system for maximizing the benefits of sovereign nationhood.
Finally, Onyeri urged voters to maintain peace and cooperate with security agencies to ensure a peaceful chairmanship election. She emphasized the need for stakeholders to abandon sentiment and address governance issues sincerely to facilitate Nigeria’s progress.