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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has called on the international community to impose sanctions on government officials and other persons it accused of undermining democracy in Nigeria.
The opposition party urged foreign governments to consider diplomatic sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes, against officials allegedly involved in actions it described as threatening Nigeria’s democracy.
The National Publicity Secretary of the APM, Abubakar Yusuf, made the call in a statement on Sunday.
The party also urged the media, civil society organisations (CSOs) and opposition parties to unite against what it described as growing authoritarianism under the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.
The APM was reacting to a report published on the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) Tyranny Tracker platform, which classified Nigeria as a full authoritarian state under Tinubu.
The party said the report confirmed its position that Nigeria’s democratic institutions had been weakened by what it described as “executive authoritarianism”.
According to the APM, security and anti-corruption agencies, as well as the courts, were being used against opposition parties and dissenting voices, while citizens were increasingly living in fear.
The statement said: “The report confirms APM’s position that under President Tinubu, Nigeria’s constitutional democracy and democratic institutions have been captured by executive authoritarianism; security, anti-corruption agencies and the courts have also become weapons against opposition parties and dissenting voices, with citizens now living in despair and fear of the government in power.”
The party cited figures contained in the HRF report, alleging that more than 628,000 Nigerians had been killed and 2.2 million abducted under the Tinubu administration.
It also alleged that security agencies had been used to suppress protests and dissent, with scores of people killed and hundreds allegedly beaten, arrested, detained or charged with treason for criticising the administration.
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The APM further alleged that freedom of expression and the media had come under increasing pressure, claiming that about 100 journalists had been brutalised or detained by authorities while covering pro-democracy protests or engaging in critical reporting.
On political activities, the party accused the administration of using security agencies to intimidate, harass, detain and prosecute opposition leaders on what it described as trumped-up charges.
It also alleged that opposition parties had been denied access to venues for political mobilisation, media platforms and campaign billboards in some APC-controlled states.
The party expressed particular concern over the activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alleging undue interference in the internal affairs of opposition parties and non-compliance with court orders favourable to them.
The APM said the alleged developments had eroded public confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It said many Nigerians had lost confidence in the ability of INEC, as presently constituted, to conduct credible elections that would reflect the will of the people.
The opposition party also accused the APC-led National Assembly of abandoning its constitutional responsibility to check the excesses of the executive, describing the legislature as a “rubber stamp” for the administration.
On the economy, the APM accused the Tinubu administration of imposing what it described as “asphyxiating economic policies”, multiple taxes and indirect levies, while allegedly condoning harassment in revenue collection.
The party urged Nigerians to use the 2027 general election as an opportunity to elect what it described as a democratic and people-oriented government under the APM.
It said this was necessary to preserve democracy and restore the country to the path of the rule of law, economic prosperity and national stability.
