Former Jigawa State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has warned that ongoing efforts to weaken the PDP could spell doom for Nigeria’s democracy.
Speaking after his election as a National Delegate during the PDP Local Government Congress in Birnin Kudu, Jigawa State, Lamido said the way people were exiting the party was “very ominous” for the future of the country.
“In their wisdom, my people elected me as a delegate, not because I needed it, but because experience is needed at a time like this,” he said.
Lamido expressed concern over what he described as a systematic assault on the opposition through manipulation of key institutions such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the police, and security agencies.
He alleged that President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were using federal agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to intimidate and weaken opposition forces.
“If APC, as a political party, fights the PDP, that’s normal; but when the Federal Government, under APC control, uses national institutions against the opposition, that’s dangerous. It’s not just APC members fighting us; it’s the government and the President himself,” Lamido said.
Lamido stressed that democracy rests on the existence of credible opposition, liberty, and freedom.
“Nigeria’s democracy thrives on a vibrant opposition. If you destroy the PDP, you are not just destroying a party; you are setting Nigeria on a path to self-destruction,” he warned.
He added, “Using the EFCC and other agencies to intimidate and weaken opposition parties amounts to self-destruction. Those joining the APC out of fear will eventually regret it.”
The former minister also described the ongoing defections to the APC as a “suicidal alliance,” predicting that many disillusioned politicians would eventually return to the PDP.
He urged aggrieved politicians to come back to the PDP, describing it as Nigeria’s most organised and people-driven political platform.
Lamido concluded, “If you destroy the opposition, you destroy the nation.”
