NIGERIA STANDS AT A CROSSROADS: Transcript of World Press Conference addressed by COPDEM

Gentlemen of the Press,

Welcome, and thank you for honoring our invitation.

My name is Rwang Pam Jnr, and I address you today in my dual capacity as the National Chairman of the Coalition to Protect and Defend Our Democracy (COPDEM) and as the Director-General of the Directorate for Mobilisation, Civil Societies & Progressives Engagements of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

We have summoned this World Press Conference at a time of grave national urgency. The soul of Nigeria’s democracy is under siege, and unless we rise — united and resolute — to reclaim it, we may soon find ourselves in an irreversible state of tyranny.

NIGERIA STANDS AT A CROSSROADS: A CLARION CALL TO SALVAGE OUR DEMOCRACY

The situation in Nigeria today is nothing short of alarming. Mass defections to the ruling party have weakened our multiparty democracy beyond recognition. Electoral outcomes are increasingly determined by coercion and judicial compromise, while insecurity continues to ravage communities with little to no consequence for those in power.

What we are witnessing is not politics as usual — this is the slow, systematic destruction of the pillars of democratic governance.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is turning Nigeria into a one-party state, a fate that history warns us always ends in disaster. Opposition voices are being absorbed or silenced. Institutions of accountability are neutralized. Public disillusionment is at an all-time high.

Where are the voices of dissent? Where are the credible alternatives?

It is with great regret that we acknowledge that both the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) have failed to provide the needed credible opposition. Instead of serving as checks and balances, they have become shadows of themselves — fragmented, distracted, and reactive.

RIVERS STATE: A MICROCOSM OF NATIONAL COLLAPSE

Nowhere is this democratic collapse more visible than in Rivers State — where constitutional order has been thrown into the dustbin. A silenced House of Assembly, a crippled local government system, and a militarized approach to governance now define what used to be one of Nigeria’s most politically active states.

The situation in Rivers is a prototype of martial law disguised as civilian administration. If left unchallenged, it will become the new normal across Nigeria.

THE PEOPLE MUST RISE

In the 2023 general elections, over 70 million registered voters stayed away from the polls. This wasn’t apathy. It was a rejection of a corrupt system. But silence is not a strategy. Disengagement is not resistance. If the people do not participate, the oppressors win by default.

That is why we are here.

It is time for Nigerians — from the market woman in Zamfara to the student in Calabar, the professional in Lagos to the farmer in Benue — to rise and reclaim our country.

We must forge a coalition of patriotic Nigerians who will not sit back and watch our democracy crumble.

WE NEED A PLATFORM: A GENUINE, INCLUSIVE, PEOPLE-POWERED PARTY

The Nigerian Constitution is clear: only political parties can sponsor candidates for public office. That is why this people’s movement must have a political vehicle. A true party — open, inclusive, just.

That platform must:

Be open to all Nigerians, regardless of tribe, religion, or status

Be committed to equal opportunities for all members — new or old — to contest any position

Be led by a national structure that reflects unity, transparency, and merit

That platform is the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

At its most recent National Executive Committee meeting, held on March 27, 2025, in Abuja, with INEC officials present, the ADC made a historic move. It amended Article 9 of its constitution to allow any Nigerian who joins the party today to become immediately eligible to vote, hold party office, and contest for any elective position in Nigeria — including President.

This is a seismic shift in Nigerian politics. It means the power has returned to the people.

SO WE SAY: COME! COME‼️ COME‼️!

Are you 18 years and above? Join the Coalition of Patriotic Nigerians.

Have you lost hope? We are here to rekindle it.

Know people who have a problem for every solution? Don’t let them stop you. Join now. They’ll join you later.

Stop complaining. Start rebuilding.
Join the solution party — the ADC.
Registration is free and takes just two minutes.

DANGERS OF A DICTATORSHIP: SILENCE IS NOT AN OPTION

If we fail to act now, the 2027 elections will be a coronation — not a competition. We will have lost the last vestiges of democracy. Every dictator in history was enabled by the silence of good people. We must not let that be our story.

Nigeria is still worth fighting for.
Let it be clear: this is not about personalities. It is about purpose.

A citizens-powered opposition coalition offers:

1. Democratic Health – Strengthening checks and balances, keeping those in power accountable

2. Policy Innovation – Encouraging real competition and practical solutions to national problems

3. Economic Revival – Restoring investor confidence and supporting local enterprise

4. National Unity – Healing our nation through transparency, inclusion, and shared ownership of the Nigerian project

THE TIME IS NOW

Let the 2027 general elections not be another episode in a rigged game. Let it be a rebirth — the moment Nigerians stood together to dismantle tyranny and restore the republic.

Let us show the world that Nigeria is not for sale. That our democracy will not be traded for contracts, court judgments, or cowardice.

We call on all Nigerians: students, professionals, artisans, retirees, market women, religious leaders, and the Diaspora — come home to your power.

Join the movement. Join the solution. Join the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Let the world say: when Nigeria stood at the edge, her citizens chose to build a bridge — not a wall.

Together, we will save our democracy. And together, we will save Nigeria.
Finally members of the press here and the world over, fellow Nigerians watching both at home and in the diaspora

We are grateful for your consistent role in informing the Nigerian people and holding power to account. You remain a vital pillar of our democracy.

Let it be said, when the darkness of tyranny loomed, you took a stand.
You chose action, not apathy.
You chose to write the next chapter of Nigeria’s story.

Because you have a role to play in the salvation of this nation.

Thank you

SIGNED:
Rwang Pam Jnr
National Chairman, COPDEM
Director-General, ADC Directorate for Mobilisation, Civil Societies & Progressives Engagements

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook