Odinkalu, Ojudu, 15 Others Accuse Tinubu Of Plans To Create One-Party State

A group of seventeen influential Nigerians, including human rights activist Chidi Odinkalu, former presidential adviser Babafemi Ojudu, and lawyer Richard Akinnola, have issued a stark warning to President Bola Tinubu, alleging a deliberate campaign to undermine Nigeria’s democracy and steer the nation towards a one-party system.

In a strongly worded statement released on Sunday, titled ‘Defending Democracy: A Call to Resist the March Toward a One-Party State in Nigeria’, the concerned citizens expressed deep alarm over what they described as a “calculated and systematic effort by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to dismantle the democratic foundations of our republic.”

The signatories accused the current administration of employing underhanded tactics to weaken opposition parties.

They accused the administration of using “bribery, blackmail, and coercion” to weaken opposition parties, claiming that political figures are defecting to the ruling party “not out of conviction, but out of fear and pressure.

“We are witnessing a disturbing trend where opposition figures are being induced to defect to the ruling party, not out of conviction, but out of fear and pressure, through bribery, blackmail, and coercion,” the statement asserted.

The group emphasized the fundamental importance of a vibrant opposition in a democratic system.

“A democracy without opposition is not a democracy,” they declared, cautioning against the “weaponization of state institutions for partisan gain” which they believe “corrodes public trust and undermines the integrity of our democracy.”

Highlighting the potential long-term consequences, the prominent Nigerians warned that the absence of a strong opposition could lead to a resurgence of impunity.

“Nigeria risks returning to a culture of impunity, where the absence of robust checks and balances breeds arrogance and unaccountable governance,” the statement read.

They called for the safeguarding of the country’s “multi-party architecture,” which they see as essential for a healthy democracy.

The signatories urged President Tinubu to reconsider his administration’s approach and to uphold the democratic principles upon which he assumed office.

“We call on President Tinubu to respect the democratic path that brought him to power and to end the persecution and intimidation of opposition leaders,” they implored.

Drawing on Nigeria’s history, the group made a powerful statement about the struggles for democratic governance.

“We did not fight to end military dictatorship only to enthrone civilian authoritarianism,” they asserted, concluding with a passionate call to action: “We must rise now to defend democracy, or risk losing it forever.”

The statement was signed by a diverse group of respected individuals, including: Richard Akinnola, Abdul Mahmud, Dr Sam Amadi, Auwa Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), Nnimmo Bassey, Adeola Soetan, Hon. Uche Onyeagucha, Uzodinma Uwaogbe, Mma Odi, Osa Director, Prof Adele Jinadu, Sen Babafemi Ojudu, Abubakar Siddique Mohammed, Prof Chidi Odinkalu, Chief Tola Adeniyi, Dr Jibrin Ibrahim, and Olufemi Adegbulugbe.