Tambuwal accuses Tinubu of weakening opposition, APC denies undermining rivals

A former Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of orchestrating a deliberate plan to weaken opposition parties and entrench one-party dominance ahead of the 2027 elections.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the African Democratic Congress State Congress in Sokoto on Saturday, Tambuwal said the political climate in Nigeria reflects a troubling attempt to recreate the controversial transition programme during military regime.

“There is a clear agenda that no political party should survive without crisis except the APC,” Tambuwal said.

“What they want is a repeat of the ‘five fingers of a leprous hand’ situation, where all parties are forced into adopting a single candidate.”

He alleged that opposition parties are being subtly pressured or destabilised, citing developments within the Labour Party Nigeria and the Peoples Democratic Party as examples.

“There was an understanding that the Labour Party would only enjoy peace if certain key figures stepped aside. Now you can see what is happening,” he said.

Tambuwal further claimed that a wave of defections into the ruling All Progressives Congress by governors is driven by fear and political survival rather than performance.

“If you are doing well in your state, why seek refuge under a president that is not doing well?

“Some believe results will simply be written. Nigerians are watching,” he said.

The former governor framed the 2027 election as a direct contest between “the president and his governors” on one side, and the Nigerian people on the other.

“This is no longer about parties. It is about Nigerians making a judgment on governance,” he added.

Nigeria’s political space has witnessed heightened tensions since the 2023 general elections, with internal crises rocking major opposition parties, particularly the PDP and Labour Party.

Disputes over leadership, court cases and factional struggles have weakened party cohesion in several states, fuelling concerns about the strength of opposition politics ahead of 2027.

Recent months have also seen a steady stream of defections by opposition politicians into the APC, including high-profile figures at both state and national levels.

However, the Presidency and the ruling APC have consistently denied allegations of undermining opposition parties.

Presidential aide, Daniel Bwala, had maintained in a statement that the administration of President Tinubu remains committed to democratic principles and political pluralism, insisting that internal crises within opposition parties are self-inflicted.

“The President has no role in the internal affairs of opposition parties. Nigeria remains a multi-party democracy, and all parties are free to organise themselves,” he said.

The APC, through its spokesperson, Felix Morka, has, in a recent interview on television, also rejected accusations of engineering defections, arguing that politicians joining its ranks do so voluntarily.

“People are coming into the APC because they believe in the policies of the government and the leadership of President Tinubu,” he said.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has repeatedly dismissed suggestions of bias, stressing the commission’s independence and commitment to credible elections.