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Threat Against Nigeria’s Multi-Party Democracy: Atiku, Obi, George, Others Accuse Tinubu of Plot to Annihilate Opposition
By Eric Elezuo
Major opposition leaders in the country have raise the alarm over threat against Nigeria’s Multi-Party Democracy, accusing President Bola Tinubu of plot to annihilate opposition.
In a letter signed a group of major opposition and opinion leaders including Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Peter Obi, Chief Bode George, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Alhaji Lawal Batagarawa and Senator David Mark, the group demanded an independent review body to examine public accounts of federal, state, LGs from 2015 to 2025, the embedding of anti-graft operatives directly into government payment, expenditure processes at all levels among others
Titled “Anti-Corruption, Not Anti-Opposition: A Joint Statement by Opposition Leaders on the Growing Politicisation of State Institutions for Persecution of the Opposition”, the statement frowned at the state of the nation, lamenting the “unfortunate and gradual slide of our country into a state where key national institutions – particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); The Nigeria Police; The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are increasingly perceived as tools of political intimidation, selective justice and systematic persecution of opposition leaders.”
The statement in full:
We are compelled by duty to nation and conscience to issue this statement to alert our compatriots and the international community to the unfortunate and gradual slide of our country into a state where key national institutions – particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); The Nigeria Police; The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are increasingly perceived as tools of political intimidation, selective justice and systematic persecution of opposition leaders.
Across our nation, there are mounting concerns that state power is being deployed not for prevention of economic crimes, but for persecution of perceived political adversaries, with the ultimate aim of weakening opposition voices and dismantling Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
A Dangerous Agenda Unfolding
More than ever before in our democratic experience, 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.
Weaponisation of the EFCC
There is a discernible pattern of persecution of the opposition by the EFCC with the sole objective of weakening same for the benefit of the ruling APC. This disturbing pattern mirrors a long-standing sentiment openly expressed years ago by a former National Chairman of the ruling APC, Adams Oshiomhole, who declared when receiving defectors from the PDP: “Once you have joined APC, all your sins are forgiven.” Whether intended as political rhetoric or not, this statement has come to symbolise a troubling reality: allegations against members of the ruling party are routinely perceived to be overlooked, while even unsubstantiated accusations against opposition figures are vigorously pursued and subjected to media trial.
A few recent examples reinforce this perception. Months ago, a minister was implicated in a financial scandal so blatant that only sustained public outrage forced her resignation. Yet, long after stepping down, she has neither been charged nor arraigned by the EFCC and is now actively involved in the President’s re-election campaign. Similarly, another minister remained in office despite the university he claimed to have attended publicly denying his academic certificate. He, too, resigned only after intense public pressure, Months later, no charges have been filed.
Such selective enforcement undermines the legitimacy of anticorruption efforts and erodes public trust. Furthermore, Nigerians are not blind to the sudden empowerment of certain political actors, including individuals appointed to federal executive positions after crossing from the opposition but still claim to be members of opposition party – whose unstated mandate, in the public’s eyes, appears to include the systematic destabilisation of opposition parties through the creation of factions, inducement and the exploitation of judicial processes, allegedly funded by state resources.
Erosion of EFCC’s Independence
The EFCC is a critical national institution, created to safeguard Nigeria’s economic integrity.
Yet today, many Nigerians fear that its independence is steadily being eroded. An agency designed for prevention and accountability risks becoming an instrument of political persecution, undermining both justice and democracy. The President must recognise that evident social and political injustice could snowball into mayhem as the nation approaches another election cycle. This trend must be halted immediately if the nation must be spared a major catastrophe.
OUR DEMANDS
• Depoliticise EFCC: The operations of the EFCC must be urgently shielded from political interference and must not serve the whims and caprices of any President, party or political faction.
• Return EFCC to Its Statutory Mandate: The Commission must refocus on genuine detection and prevention of economic crimes across board, not selective prosecution, media trials or intimidation of opposition figures. For the avoidance of doubt, the Functions and Powers of the Commission are expressly provided for under Sections 6 & 7 respectively.
• Defend Multiparty Democracy: Nigerians must remain eternally vigilant to ensure that the President does not transform the country into a de facto one-party state – as witnessed in Lagos over the last 25 years, where opposition leaders were silenced, coerced or induced into irrelevance.
• Embed Preventive Anti-Corruption Mechanisms: Relying on the Supreme Court ruling on the powers of the EFCC over all public accounts, for true prevention of financial crimes, anti-graft operatives should be embedded in all the payment processes of governments at all levels to ensure compliance with rules of transparency, accountability and probity in public financial transactions. Put differently, the EFCC must recognise and exercise their function as covering both pre and post expenditure. operatives must also be held accountable for any unreported but later detected economic and financial infractions in their respective areas of oversight. To further strengthen the EFCC, we propose that the EFCC Act should be amended for this purpose.
• Establish an Independent Review Body: We call on the Attorney General, in consultation with the National Assembly, to set up an independent review body which should be granted full access to the public accounts of the federal, all states and all local governments covering from 2015 to 2025, with a mandate to conduct a transparent, comprehensive review of financial transactions and publish its findings. Such a review will expose the EFCC’s pattern of selective prosecution of opposition figures and reveal that many current officials of the federal government—and those of ruling-party-controlled states—should have long been prosecuted for economic and financial crimes, but were shielded due to their political affiliation. Based on its findings, the independent body should also propose amendments to EFCC’s enabling law to strengthen the agency for more effective and efficient prevention of financial crimes.
This proposed body is to be chaired by an eminent judge, and composed of the following:
– Representatives from civil society organisations
– Representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association
– Representatives of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria
– Representatives of Institute of Chartered Bankers
– The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit
– Representatives of anti-graft agencies
– Representatives of the Police
– Representatives of the DSS
– Representatives of the Armed Forces
– Representatives of all political parties with a seat in the National Assembly.
A Call to Defend Nigeria’s Democracy
We call on all patriotic Nigerians across party lines, professions, regions and faiths to stand firm. Our democracy is under threat through the deliberate and systematic weakening of opposition forces, with the EFCC as the central instrument in this troubling strategy.
In the coming weeks, we will provide more details, and also engage foreign partners of Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies and diplomatic missions, including United States, UK, Canada, EU, World Bank Office, United Nations, to express our deep concern about the EFCC increasingly becoming a willing tool in a broader scheme to weaken opposition in Nigeria, and also demand a reform of the anti graft agency.
Nigeria’s democracy demands our vigilance, courage and unity, as Edmund Burke, an Anglo-Irish statesman and philosopher, warned: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”.
We are equally guided by the enduring words of Martin Luther King Jnr: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil ……In the end we shall remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Now is the time for all of us to rise in defence of our cherished multiparty democracy, and indeed, in defence of the very soul of our nation.
We must make a deliberate choice not to be remembered by posterity for our Silence.
Nigeria belongs to all of us – not to a single party or a single leader.
Signed,
Sen. David Mark, GCON
Alh. Atiku Abubakar, GCON
Mallam Lawal Batagarawa
Chief Bode George
Mr. Peter Obi, CON
Chief John Odigie-Oyegun
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has lambasted the administration of President Bola Tinubu over insecurity bedeviling the country.
In an interview with News Central, Obasanjo said any government that cannot protect lives and property of its citizens has no basis to exist.
The former leader was reacting to the recent wave of insecurity, which has confronted Nigeria, resulting in the killing of several citizens and abduction of others.
“Let me tell you, the government that cannot give security of life and property of its citizen has no right of existence.
“The elected members of our National Assembly have no right to fix their own salary and their own emolument.
“It’s not in our constitution for them to do that. It’s the revenue mobilization and allocation commission that should do it,” he said.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has offered its presidential ticket to Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 elections, signaling intensifying efforts to forge a united opposition as key political deadlines approach.
In a post on X on Sunday, the party indicated a two-week window for both politicians, currently linked to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to defect and secure its platform’s presidential ticket.
“All we need right now. Just all we need. Two weeks to deadline,” the NDC said, accompanying the message with an image of Obi and Kwankwaso and the caption: “Nigeria will be OK.”
The development comes amid renewed calls for opposition consolidation ahead of the next general elections. Supporters of both men recently launched the “OK Movement”, aimed at mobilising support for a possible joint ticket.
Organisers of the movement have begun setting up national, zonal and State structures, suggesting early groundwork for a broader political alliance.
However, the ADC is currently grappling with internal divisions that could affect its participation in the elections. The party is facing a leadership crisis, with competing factions contesting control of its structure.
The dispute is now before the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which has reserved judgment in an appeal arising from the leadership tussle.
The uncertainty comes as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) maintains its timetable for the 2027 polls, setting May 30, 2026, as the deadline for political parties to submit membership registers and nominate candidates.
Opposition parties, including factions of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), have called for an extension of the timeline, arguing that the schedule is too tight given ongoing internal restructuring and legal disputes.
The NDC’s offer highlights the shifting dynamics within Nigeria’s opposition landscape, where alliances remain fluid and negotiations are ongoing.
Both Obi and Kwankwaso are influential political figures with significant regional support bases, and any alignment between them could reshape the balance of power ahead of the elections.
INEC has yet to indicate whether it will adjust its timetable, as preparations for the 2027 general elections continue to gather momentum.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed concern over reports that the Senate is considering the suspension of political campaigns in eight Northern states under the pretext of rising insecurity.
Atiku, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, described the development as deeply troubling and fraught with dangerous implications for Nigeria’s democracy.
He noted that while insecurity remains a serious national challenge that must be confronted decisively, it must never become a convenient justification for undermining constitutional rights or selectively restricting democratic participation.
“Let it be clearly stated: the right to vote and participate in the electoral process is fundamental and cannot be abridged under any guise. Any attempt—whether deliberate or disguised—to suppress political activities in parts of Northern Nigeria raises legitimate concerns about disenfranchisement,” Atiku said.
The Waziri Adamawa recalled that credible intelligence had earlier pointed to possible plans to weaken electoral participation in key Northern states, warning that recent developments appear to be lending credence to those fears.
“This is not merely about campaigns; it is about representation, inclusion, and the integrity of our democratic process. You cannot cure insecurity by silencing the voices of the people. Democracy must not become a casualty of government failure,” he added.
The former Vice President stressed that the people of Northern Nigeria, like all Nigerians, deserve both security and full participation in the democratic process — not one at the expense of the other.
He added that it is the responsibility of government to provide security for its citizens, while it remains the duty of citizens to freely exercise their civic rights without fear, intimidation, or unlawful restriction.
“At a time when citizens are already battling hardship and insecurity, the least the government can do is to guarantee their right to be heard — not to restrict it. Any policy that creates the impression of targeted exclusion will only deepen distrust and national division,” he warned.
He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, and the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately clarify their position and reassure Nigerians that no region will be denied its constitutional rights.
“Nigeria must never descend into a situation where elections are shaped by exclusion, fear, or administrative manipulation. The consequences of such actions are far-reaching and better imagined than experienced,” Atiku cautioned.
He urged all stakeholders to uphold the principles of fairness, equity, and national unity, emphasising that democracy must remain inclusive, transparent, and credible across every part of the country.
