Lamido accuses Tinubu of abusing state power to crush opposition into APC through blackmail – cites case of Okowa
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
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“Tinubu is using state institutions to crush the opposition through intimidation, blackmail, harassment, and government patronage.
“A clear example is [Ifeanyi] Okowa, who was the PDP vice presidential candidate. He suddenly faced charges of N1.3 trillion from the EFCC, and after joining the APC, those charges disappeared.
“It is just like [Adams] Oshiomhole said, ‘no matter your crime, once you join the APC, you will be forgiven.’ That is why people who feel guilty are joining the APC. This is a serious danger to our democracy ….
“I remain in the PDP. Yes, PDP has its problems, but I cannot walk out of my skin and take on a new identity like joining ADC. I have a history. I have been PDP.
“It is the PDP that made me a Minister and Governor. I was detained, harassed, blackmailed, and my office and house were nearly destroyed because of my loyalty to PDP.
“Therefore, I cannot renounce my legacy and join something new. I am PDP. I will support any arrangement within or led by the PDP that seeks to secure Nigeria in 2027, but certainly not anything involving Tinubu or the APC” – Lamido.
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Former Jigawa Governor Sule Lamido says opposition politicians are panicking because of Bola Tinubu’s abuse of presidential powers to carry out imperial acts to coerce the opposition into joining his All Progressives Congress (APC).
He lamented in his office in Kano that Nigeria is no longer the same country it was 25 years ago as Tinubu has completely changed the political narrative and is determined to destroy democracy.
There are many challenges facing the country, he stressed, and one of the most pressing is the threat to democracy, flagging Tinubu, the APC, and the Federal Government for using state institutions to undermine democracy.
Said he: “Today, Tinubu is using state institutions to crush the opposition through intimidation, blackmail, harassment, and government patronage,” per Daily Post.
“A clear example is [Ifeanyi] Okowa, who was the PDP vice presidential candidate. He suddenly faced charges of N1.3 trillion from the EFCC, and after joining the APC, those charges disappeared.
“It is just like [Adams] Oshiomhole said, ‘no matter your crime, once you join the APC, you will be forgiven.’ That is why people who feel guilty are joining the APC. This is a serious danger to our democracy.”
Lamido also said:
- Tinubu’s abuse of power exacerbates Nigeria’s fault lines of a lack of security, stability, unity, and trust; warning that without mutual trust among the components, the country cannot make progress.
- Tinubu deliberately divides regions, such as separating the North Central from the rest of the North and creating rifts between the South East and South South for political gain.
- Nigeria no longer functions as a united federation with mutual respect and love. Instead, Tinubu has become an emperor who uses power to decide who lives or dies politically. This situation has left many people in a state of panic.
“People are now asking what to do. In that panic, there is talk of coalitions. But as I have said before, the coalition we had in 2014 was organic. There were established structures like CPC under Buhari, ACN under Tinubu, ANPP under governors, and even PDP members like the President, Speaker, and Governors who joined the alliance,” he added.
“Today, the proposed coalition is just a gathering of individuals. Labour Party, PDP, and others are not uniting as political institutions but as individuals like Atiku, Peter Obi, El-Rufai, and others. That is why I am not part of it.
“For me, any coalition must define clear parameters. Why are we coming together? It should be for democracy, unity, stability, security, and prosperity. These should be the guiding principles, not personal ambition, vengeance, or revenge.
“I remain in the PDP. Yes, PDP has its problems, but I cannot walk out of my skin and take on a new identity like joining ADC. I have a history. I have been PDP.
“It is the PDP that made me a Minister and Governor. I was detained, harassed, blackmailed, and my office and house were nearly destroyed because of my loyalty to PDP.
“Therefore, I cannot renounce my legacy and join something new. I am PDP. I will support any arrangement within or led by the PDP that seeks to secure Nigeria in 2027, but certainly not anything involving Tinubu or the APC.”
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