Former Governor of Jigawa State and stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Sule Lamido, has raised serious concerns over what he described as the deliberate use of state institutions by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intimidate the opposition and coerce political figures into joining the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking in his office on Tuesday while receiving the new leadership of the Kano NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, Lamido said Nigeria was no longer the country it used to be 25 years ago, lamenting that democracy is under serious threat.
“There are a lot of problems today that are deeply challenging,” he said. “First, democracy is being assaulted. The way the Federal Government, President Tinubu, and the APC are using state institutions to crush the opposition through intimidation, blackmail, harassment, and government patronage is deeply disturbing.”
Citing a specific example, Lamido pointed to the case of Delta State’s former Governor and PDP Vice Presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Ifeanyi Okowa.
“Okowa is a very clear example. He was the PDP’s vice-presidential candidate, and suddenly he was charged by the EFCC for allegedly mismanaging ₦1.3 trillion. But once he found his way into the APC, the charges disappeared. It was conveniently buried,” Lamido alleged.
He likened the situation to a remark previously made by former APC chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, that “no matter your level of crime, if you join APC, you will be forgiven.”
“This kind of behavior is destroying our democracy,” Lamido warned. “It means people are joining the APC not because of ideology or vision but out of fear or guilt.”
The PDP chieftain also accused the Tinubu-led government of deliberately creating ethnic and regional divisions in the country to maintain political dominance.
“They’ve divided the North Central from the rest of the North, just as they’ve fragmented the South East and South South. All of this is a calculated effort to destabilize opposition strongholds and hold onto power. Our unity as a federation is under threat.”
Lamido said the consequences of these actions are evident in the country’s deteriorating security, lack of stability, and growing mistrust among the populace.
“We now have an emperor in Tinubu who uses power to grant life or death to political opponents. That’s why Nigerians are panicking. People are asking: what do we do?”
On recent talks of a possible coalition among opposition figures ahead of 2027, Lamido was skeptical, noting that the current efforts lack structure and ideological depth.
“The 2014 coalition that birthed the APC was an alliance of organic institutions, CPC under Buhari, ACN under Tinubu, ANPP, and even some PDP governors. These were institutions with clear leadership and grassroots structures,” he explained.
“But today’s proposed coalition is driven by individuals like Atiku, Peter Obi, El-Rufai, and others not by political parties as institutions. So, it lacks coherence. That’s why I’m not part of it.”
Lamido outlined his own conditions for any meaningful coalition, saying it must be based on shared principles, not personal ambition.
“A genuine coalition must be founded on five pillars: democracy, unity, stability, security, and prosperity, not revenge or political aspiration.”
Despite acknowledging the challenges within the PDP, Lamido reaffirmed his loyalty to the party.
“I remain PDP. I cannot shed my skin and wear a new one called ADC. I have a history. I’ve suffered for PDP. I’ve also benefited. I was harassed, detained, my office burnt, my house nearly torched. But I was also made a minister and a governor by the PDP. I cannot renounce that legacy.”
He however expressed readiness to work within PDP toward a better Nigeria, but firmly ruled out supporting Tinubu or the APC in 2027.
“I’m open to working with any credible arrangement within PDP for a secure Nigeria in 2027. But certainly not with Tinubu or APC.”
