As opposition figures are now regularly ambushed with routine invitations from security organisations alongside alleged subterranean manipulations by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal Government, tension appears to be building up slowly ahead of major political activities this year.
Elder Statesman and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Olabode George, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, now an African Democratic Congress (ADC) stalwart, recently voiced their resentment over the situation while noting that the phenomenon was partly responsible for the feverish defections in some quarters.
Dr John Okoro Kome, a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, one of those who spoke with Sunday Independent on the issue, said that Nigerians do not have to wait for the Otona of Yorubaland, Chief Bode George, and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to bemoan the ugly political environment shaping the nation’s politics at the moment.
Dr Kome, PDP candidate for the Ikeja 1 Constituency 1 Seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly in the 2023 election, and a one-time chieftain of the ADC, said it is very obvious to even pupils in primary schools and on the streets that opposition parties are being annihilated by the nation’s ruling party.
According to Kome, “The activity of the ruling party in forcing the state governors to defect into their fold leaves no one in doubt.
“The release of billions of funds accrued from the subsidy removal to the coffers of State Governors and National Assembly as well as other beneficiaries is not a palatable story to tell the next generation of Nigerians.
“The obvious plan of the APC government to cripple all the opposition parties in Nigeria will engineer a politically motivated crisis across the length and breadth of this nation, starting from the third quarter of 2026, if caution is not taken by Nigerian politicians.
“Come to think of it, what makes APC so interesting so much that almost all governors in many states of Nigeria are romancing with the ruling party?
“Mark my words, sooner than we think, a powerful internal crisis that will rattle the ruling party is underway.
“This same crisis will bring about the release of much funds to pacify party members in the ruling party, thereby causing inflation and leading to further chaotic situations that leave APC at the middle of a deep blue sea politically.”
Barrister Olalekan Festus Ojo, a Lagos-based human rights lawyer said that the concerns raised by Chief Bode George and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar deserve to be taken seriously.
He, however, stressed that such claims must be assessed within the framework of law and constitutional governance, rather than political sentiment.
RECKLESS INVITATIONS BY SECURITY AGENCIES
Barrister Ojo, a strong advocate of social justice, and the Managing Partner, Platinum & Taylor Hill LP, a leading law firm in Nigeria, stated: “Nigeria has a history where state institutions, particularly security and prosecutorial agencies, have sometimes been perceived as tools in the hands of those in power.
“When opposition figures are subjected to repeated invitations, arrests, or the sudden resurrection of long-dormant investigations, especially during sensitive political periods, it understandably raises questions about intimidation and selective enforcement.
“From that perspective, their apprehension is not entirely unfounded. That said, perception alone cannot substitute for evidence.
“The Federal Government, irrespective of the party in power, has both the authority and the obligation to investigate alleged infractions of the law.
“The real legal test is whether such actions are carried out impartially, with due process, and without discrimination between ruling party members and opposition figures.
“For the claims by Chief Bode George and Atiku Abubakar to be compelling, there must be demonstrable proof of unequal treatment or abuse of institutional powers.
“Otherwise, there is a risk of conflating legitimate law enforcement with political victimhood.
“In a constitutional democracy, the burden lies heavily on the government to ensure that its actions are transparent, proportionate, and non-partisan.
“At the same time, the opposition must distinguish between genuine intimidation and lawful accountability. The strength of our democracy ultimately depends on that balance.”
Hon. Dennis Adikwuru, Convener and National Secretary, Igbo People’s Action Congress (IPAC), former Secretary General of Igbo People’s Movement (IPM), said the claim by Atiku Abubakar and Bode George that opposition figures are being intimidated by the APC government is not an unusual claim or allegation.
Adikwuru, a frontline PDP chieftain in Imo State, said: “It is also a universal feature in politics wherein the ruling party continues to consolidate, while the opposition feels intimidated.
“The moment you continue to hold on to power and the opposition continues to lose, it will be generally seen as intimidation of opposition, but it goes the same way if opposition climbs to power.”
COERCIVE ACTIONS COULD FUEL SUSPICION
Dr Ben Eze, an academic and former Lagos State Deputy Governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, stated: “Bode George and Atiku Abubakar have some grounds to raise concerns about intimidation, though these claims must be assessed carefully.
“In Nigeria’s political history, the use of state institutions, such as security agencies or anti-corruption bodies, has often been deployed to intimidate the opposition.
“Recent actions against prominent opposition figures can reasonably fuel suspicion, especially in a polarised environment.
“However, the African Action Congress (AAC), led by Omoyele Sowore, has consistently held the government accountable. It is obvious that AAC is the major opposition party in Nigeria.”
Chief Fatai Ibu-Owo, former Lagos State chairman of the National Conscience Party (NCP) and currently an African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, stated: “If you trace the political history of Nigeria from 1999 till date, the opposition parties have never been organised the way they are organising now.
“The government in power has imposed and planted the seeds of poverty on the people of Nigeria through its anti-people’s policies.
“In view of the aforementioned, various people from different political parties and independent groups of people can come together to form an opposition to the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Let me use Lagos State as a case study. Every Local government in Lagos has one group or the other planning towards the removal of the APC government in 2027.
“These groups include some versions of APC, PDP, NCP, Labour Party, CPC, AD, pressure groups and others.
“Furthermore, all reasonable Nigerians are tired of the Tinubu government. Imagine a government imposing tax on its people all because it wants to generate money, same government wrote off about N8 Trillions of NNPC Limited.
“This same government introduced inheritance tax, that is, what you inherited from your parents will also be taxed by 20% of the value of such property.
“A responsible government is supposed to create employment for its citizens and after the job creation, the government can come up with its tax because it is the one who created the job.
“What Tinubu is doing now is that he wants to collect tax from meagre incomes of the Nigerians (regressive tax).
“Chief Bode George and Atiku Abubakar have adequate grounds for claiming that opposition figures are being intimidated by the APC Federal Government because the government is not popular.
“His policies have made him not to be relevant and popular in the eyes of Nigeria. Insecurity and killing of the innocent citizens of the country must not be underestimated. The population of Nigeria is reducing geometrically.”
Hon. Shakurideen O. Olofin, former Lagos State Chairman of New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) and a National Working Committee (NWC) member of the party, stated: “Former Vice President, Alh Atiku Abubakar of Africa Democratic Party and
Elder statesman Chief Olabode George, a PDP chieftain, are both entitled to their opinions on the issue of intimidation by the APC-led Federal Government.
“What these elders refused to tell Nigerians is the form of intimidation they suffered from the All Progressive Congress.
“It is amusing, if a leader of the calibre of former Vice President and a retired high ranking military personnel, have been subjected to bullying and intimidation, it shows the Federal Government is very powerful.
“It seems they are accepting defeat before the contest.
“Opposition parties should put their houses in order and allow for internal democracy before crying foul. May Nigeria succeed.”
APC DESPERATE – BABA-AYE
Comrade Baba Aye, a veteran activist and Co-Convener, Coalition for Revolution (CORE), has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will stop at nothing to prevent a repeat of the 2023 shocking loss of the presidential election in Lagos to the Labour Party (LP).
Baba Aye, one-time Deputy National Secretary of Labour Party (LP) and former National Convener, United Action for Democracy (UAD), said the 2023 loss of presidential election by Tinubu in Lagos was a slap in the face of the ruling party then.
“And you can see the way they responded to it when it got to the gubernatorial elections in 2023 with vicious mobilisation to smash the possibility of a similar thing happening like what happened during the presidential election,” Baba Aye explained.
Sunday Independent in an exclusive chat with the veteran activist had asked him if going by what transpired in Lagos during the 2023 general elections when Labour Party jolted the ruling party by defeating its candidate, Alhaji Bola Tinubu in the presidential election in Lagos State, and the outcome of last year’s Local Government elections where it won all wards and council chairmanship seats, it would be possible for the paty to lose the state in 2027.
In response, Baba Aye stated: “I see the APC doing everything possible to avoid that sort of development taking place again.
“As we all know, this is an election year already. The focus of politicians will be more on politicking towards the forthcoming general elections.
“But, for what it is worth, we must put the feet of the Federal Government to the fire. We must demand that action be taken to address the suffering of the people.
“A new minimum wage, which has to be a living wage, should be negotiated. Social security networks should be put in place for working-class people in the informal economy.
“And the security of the people should be taken more seriously, including with the training and arming of the people themselves to defend themselves. Neither the Nigerian state in itself or Yankee imperialism can defend us.
