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• Turaki demands presidential condemnation of political violence, prosecution of perpetrators
• Accuses ruling party of intimidation, manipulation of opposition through courts
From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating attacks on opposition politicians, intimidating voters and exploiting court processes to destabilise rival parties ahead of the 2027 general election, warning that the alleged actions threaten Nigeria’s democracy.
The party demanded that Tinubu publicly condemn political violence and ensure the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for attacks on opposition candidates and their supporters, irrespective of political affiliation.
National Chairman of the PDP Interim National Working Committee and former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Tanimu Turaki, made the allegations at a press conference in Abuja, where he accused the ruling party of attempting to weaken political competition through violence, inducement of opposition leaders and the use of litigation to destabilise rival parties.
Turaki, who drew parallels between the prevailing political atmosphere and events preceding the collapse of Nigeria’s First and Second Republics, warned that the country risked repeating its troubled political history unless those in authority took immediate steps to reduce tension ahead of the elections.
“A little reminiscence of our political history will help us recall the imminent danger lurking on the road that the current ruling APC leadership is forcing the nation to travel,” he said.
According to him, the political crisis of the First Republic, including the violence associated with Operation Wetie, followed the suppression of opposition forces and internal crises allegedly encouraged by the ruling political establishment.
He argued that similar attempts to weaken opposition parties during the Second Republic contributed to the political instability that preceded its collapse.
“In the First Republic, ‘Operation Wetie’ was the inevitable result of the asphyxiation of the opposition and the ruling party’s engineered crisis in the opposition political parties. The crisis continued unabated, and eventually that republic caved in.
“In the Second Republic, the governing party, refusing to learn from its predecessor and smarting from its hair’s-breadth survival through the judiciary in the 12 2/3 debacle, went all out to decimate the opposition. It deployed orthodox and unorthodox methods to attain what it christened a ‘moonslide victory’, using the power of coercion to enthrone leaders in opposition strongholds.
“The judiciary was complicit, giving judgments that did not reflect the reality at the polls. Eventually, that republic collapsed,” Turaki stated.
The PDP leader said the historical references were intended to draw attention to the dangers of political intolerance and the consequences of undermining democratic competition.
Quoting Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana, he said: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
Turaki accused the Presidency and APC of pursuing what he described as a deliberate strategy to constrict the political space and weaken credible opposition ahead of the next general election.
“Today, the governing party, the All Progressives Congress, and the Presidency, led by a pseudo-democrat, are speeding down the infamous lane that leads to democratic destruction: the lanes of constriction of the political space, violence against the opposition, the ‘buying’ and co-optation of opposition leaders, and the judicialisation of politics.
“History, both local and foreign, has shown that these lanes lead to only one destination: the death of democracy and the birth of full authoritarian rule, which subjugates the people and destroys the nation. The obvious question, then, is: is this what the Tinubu-led administration wants?” he asked.
The former minister cited reported attacks on opposition politicians and their supporters in Delta, Sokoto and Ekiti states as evidence of what he described as growing political intolerance.
He specifically referred to attacks involving Peter Obi and supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), alleged attempts to obstruct former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and African Democratic Congress (ADC) campaign convoys in Sokoto, and a reported assault on Omoyele Sowore in Ekiti.
“Specifically, we condemn the unabating, multi-system attacks on the opposition. Mr. Peter Obi and NDC supporters have suffered repeated attacks in different states, the most recent in Delta State. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and ADC rally convoys have had to resist attempts to prevent them from entering Sokoto and have been denied facilities for their campaigns. Mr. Omoyele Sowore was seriously attacked and injured in Ekiti,” he said.
Turaki alleged that suspected APC supporters were responsible for some of the incidents, accusing the ruling party of encouraging an atmosphere in which political opponents could be intimidated without consequences.
“In all these cases, the fingers point directly at suspected All Progressives Congress operatives, who are obviously buoyed by President Tinubu’s ‘all is fair in politics, as in war’ mantra.
“These touts obviously agree with the President that political victory is not served à la carte, but must be grabbed, snatched and run away with. That is not how to play politics in a civilised way,” he stated.
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Beyond the reported violence, the PDP leader accused the APC of exploiting internal disputes and court processes to weaken opposition parties and frustrate their participation in the elections.
“Another trick from the APC playbook is the judicialisation of politics, wherein the courts are used to erect hurdles on the path of the opposition and to remove the institutionalised uncertainty that a keenly contested election generates,” he said.
Turaki questioned the circumstances surrounding court decisions affecting opposition parties, alleging that some judgments had contributed to their destabilisation and benefited individuals sympathetic to the ruling party.
He also condemned reported threats by public officials against citizens who refused to support the APC, insisting that Nigerians had the constitutional right to vote for candidates of their choice without intimidation.
“Nigerians should be allowed to freely choose their leaders at all levels, not the current situation where public officials threaten voters to leave their jurisdictions if they do not vote for the APC.
“This threat has been widespread across the country, and some have now made their threats real by unleashing violence against the opposition,” he alleged.
Turaki maintained that the alleged intimidation and attempts to weaken opposition parties raised questions about the ruling party’s willingness to submit to a genuinely competitive election.
“It is evident that President Tinubu and the APC are not ready for competitive elections, which is why they are deploying every tactic, in and out of the book, to ground any credible opposition party,” he claimed.
He warned that forcing an electoral outcome without public confidence in the process could deepen political divisions and undermine the legitimacy of the eventual winners.
“We draw the attention of the President, his handlers, INEC and the security agencies to the fact that they can foist a result on the people, but they cannot compel the country to legitimise their act.
“As we have said before, and it bears repeating here, there are two elections coming up: the first for the heart of the country, and the second for the office of the President.
“The President and his people are clearly working only for the latter, the office of the President, and not the former, winning the hearts and minds of citizens.
“Our question, therefore, is: what will it profit their party and candidates if they force a ‘win’ at the elections, but completely lose the country and derail democracy?” he asked.
To avert further tension, Turaki demanded that Tinubu publicly and unequivocally condemn political violence and direct security agencies to investigate and prosecute those implicated in attacks on opposition candidates and supporters.
He also called on security agencies, through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), to publish a comprehensive election security plan guaranteeing the safety of candidates, political rallies and voters, regardless of party affiliation.
The PDP leader urged federal and state governments to stop denying opposition parties access to public facilities for campaigns and called on public officials to desist from threatening voters.
He further charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address alleged discrepancies and false inclusions in the voters’ register, while urging the judiciary to uphold the law without executive interference.
“The temperature can still be reduced, and the responsibility lies squarely with those who hold power,” he said.
Turaki urged Nigerians to resist intimidation and remain committed to defending democratic institutions ahead of the 2027 elections.
“We urge Nigerians to remain steadfast in the defence of democracy. We must not lift our hands up in surrender; rather, we must continue to demand accountability, responsible leadership and the dividends of democracy.
“2027 offers a great opportunity for us to choose leaders who will put the people first,” he stated.
