Opposition Leaders Warn Tinubu Against Slide Toward One-Party State

Senior opposition figures have cautioned President Bola Tinubu against actions they say could push Nigeria toward a de facto one-party system, accusing the administration of using state institutions to intimidate political opponents ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a joint statement, the leaders expressed concern that anti-corruption and security agencies are increasingly being perceived as tools of selective enforcement rather than impartial institutions guided by the rule of law.

The statement was signed by former Senate President David Mark, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, former PDP Deputy National Chairman Bode George, former APC National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun, and Mallam Lawal Batagarawa.

They said they were compelled by conscience and patriotism to alert Nigerians and the international community to what they described as a gradual erosion of democratic norms, with national institutions allegedly being deployed to intimidate opposition leaders and weaken political pluralism.

According to the opposition leaders, there is an alleged covert effort to bring all state governments under the control of the ruling party, not through competitive elections but via pressure applied through anti-graft investigations. They claimed that opposition governors and influential political actors are the primary targets.

They cited the recent wave of defections by opposition governors to the ruling party as reinforcing public suspicion that coercion, rather than ideology or conviction, is driving political realignments.

The leaders further alleged that the campaign extends beyond sitting governors to key opposition figures involved in coalition talks ahead of the next general election, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s democratic future.

They accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of being particularly vulnerable to political interference, alleging that cases involving ruling party members are often ignored or delayed, while opposition figures face swift investigations and intense public scrutiny.

The statement recalled past remarks by a former ruling party chairman suggesting that defectors’ “sins” were forgiven once they joined the party, arguing that such comments have come to symbolise what many Nigerians see as selective enforcement of anti-corruption laws.

The opposition leaders warned that these practices undermine public trust in state institutions and could fuel political instability as another election cycle approaches.

They called for urgent reforms, including the depoliticisation of the EFCC, safeguards to prevent abuse of anti-graft powers, and measures to stop Nigeria from sliding into a one-party state.

Among their proposals was the embedding of anti-graft operatives directly into government payment and expenditure processes across federal, state, and local governments, citing a Supreme Court ruling affirming the EFCC’s oversight authority.

They also demanded the creation of an independent review body to audit public accounts from 2015 to 2025, with powers to publish findings and recommend amendments to strengthen anti-corruption laws.

“Nigeria belongs to all of us, not to one party or one leader,” the statement said, adding that silence in the face of injustice would be judged harshly by history.

The leaders disclosed plans to engage international partners and diplomatic missions to raise concerns over what they described as the growing politicisation of anti-graft institutions and to push for democratic safeguards.