A coalition of leading opposition figures has accused the Federal Government of deliberately weakening Nigeria’s multi-party democracy through the alleged misuse of anti-corruption agencies to harass and intimidate political opponents.
In a joint statement released on Sunday, the opposition leaders claimed that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has turned key state institutions into tools for political suppression, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, under the cover of anti-corruption enforcement.
The statement, jointly endorsed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former Senate President and African Democratic Congress National Chairman, Senator David Mark; former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi; former Edo State governor, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; former PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Olabode George; and former Minister of State for Defence, Lawal Batagarawa, warned of grave consequences if the trend continues.
“Nigerians have witnessed what many now describe as a covert, undemocratic agenda: to ensure that all state governments fall under the control of the President’s party – not through transparent electoral contests, but by secretly intimidating opposition governors via the anti-corruption apparatus until they succumb and defect.
“Recent defections of opposition governors into the ruling party have reinforced public suspicion that political pressure, not ideological or personal persuasion, is driving this realignment.
“This pattern forms part of a broader project that targets not only elected leaders but also key opposition figures perceived as architects of emerging coalitions ahead of the 2027 general election.
“We must warn that this project, if allowed to continue unchecked, poses a grave danger to Nigeria’s democratic future,” the statement read.
The coalition urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, stressing that democracy thrives only when opposition voices are protected, and political competition is conducted without intimidation or abuse of state power.
