Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned that Nigeria’s democracy is facing serious threats ahead of the 2027 general elections, alleging that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is shrinking the political space and pushing the country towards authoritarian rule.
The party’s Interim National Chairman, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), made the allegations on Sunday during a press conference titled, _“The Country Is Boiling; Can We Reduce the Temperature?”_, where he urged President Bola Tinubu and relevant institutions to take urgent steps to de-escalate political tensions and safeguard the nation’s democratic process.
Turaki said Nigeria’s political history showed that attempts to weaken opposition parties and undermine democratic institutions had previously contributed to the collapse of the First and Second Republics, warning that the country must not repeat the mistakes of the past.
According to him, the APC-led Federal Government is constricting the political space through alleged intimidation of opposition parties, political violence, the co-optation of opposition figures and what he described as the increasing judicialisation of politics.
He alleged that these developments were creating widespread uncertainty over the credibility of the 2027 elections, arguing that many Nigerians had lost confidence in key democratic institutions responsible for conducting and adjudicating elections.
The PDP chairman cited the Third National Voting Intentions Survey (NVIS 3.0) by Yiaga Africa, claiming that while a large number of Nigerians were willing to vote, many feared election-related violence and expressed declining confidence in both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the judiciary.
Turaki further alleged that opposition parties and their supporters had come under repeated attacks in different parts of the country, mentioning incidents involving Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and African Action Congress (AAC) leader Omoyele Sowore.
He also accused the ruling party of using the courts to weaken opposition parties through judgments and legal actions that, according to him, favoured the APC, alleging that such actions were undermining multiparty democracy.
The PDP chairman said governments at different levels were allegedly denying opposition parties access to public facilities for campaigns and claimed that some public officials had threatened voters over their political choices, warning that such actions could erode public confidence in the electoral process.
To reduce political tension, Turaki called on President Tinubu to publicly condemn political violence and ensure that all those responsible for attacks on politicians and their supporters, irrespective of political affiliation, are investigated and prosecuted.
He also urged the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to publish a comprehensive election security plan, called on INEC to address alleged discrepancies in the voters’ register, and appealed to the judiciary to continue dispensing justice in accordance with the law.
Turaki urged Nigerians to remain peaceful and steadfast in defending democracy, expressing hope that the 2027 general elections would provide citizens with another opportunity to freely elect leaders who would place the interests of the people above all else.
