The media aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has accused President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of deploying state institutions to intimidate, harass and coerce opposition politicians into joining the ruling party ahead of the 2027 election.

Naijaonpoint reports that Ibe, during an interview with Daily Post, asserted that the recent arrest of former Governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is part of a larger plot to weaken the opposition.

He also alleged that the administration’s goal was to manipulate the electoral process and establish a one-party system.

Ibe maintained that Atiku and other opposition coalition leaders under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will not give in to President Tinubu’s antics and machinations.

According to Ibe, Tinubu has blown full circle into a civilian dictatorship, undermining the rule of law, freedom of association and freedom of speech, describing the current situation as worse than military rule.

He said, “We are living witnesses to what has been playing out. It’s very clear the institutions of state are being used to coerce politicians and leaders into the APC. They are being railroaded, they are being coerced.

“It didn’t start with Tambuwal, and it won’t end with him. It’s all because Tinubu and the APC are focused on manipulating the electoral process. That’s what it is.

“His Excellency Atiku Abubakar has sounded the alert that the opposition and the ADC coalition will not give in to their antics and machinations.

“We have a president who has blown full circle into a civilian dictatorship, worse than even a military dictatorship. Even the rule of law is being undermined. Freedom of association and freedom of speech has been thrown overboard.

“These are very dire times for Nigeria. I speak about the battle to save our democracy. And the second one is the battle for good governance. One is to be taken on the other, without a democratic culture, without a deal of democracy, the ability to deliver good governance is heavily compromised.

“And so that is why it is important that Nigerians need to reclaim their country with a view to rebuilding it so that the country can serve our interests.”