By Kazeem Waris
The battle for political space ahead of the 2027 general elections has taken a sharper turn, with the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of using intimidation, alleged security interference and other coercive tactics to weaken opposition parties and undermine Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
The council warned that what it described as a growing pattern of attacks on opposition leaders, destruction of campaign facilities, denial of access to political venues and harassment of party supporters could threaten the freedom of political participation and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
In a strongly worded statement issued in Abuja by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, the ADC-PCC cited reported incidents in Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi and Enugu, alongside alleged attacks on other opposition figures, as evidence of what it described as an emerging pattern of political intolerance.
The campaign council specifically referenced the reported assault on its Sokoto State governorship candidate, Alhaji Munir Dan Iya, allegedly involving operatives of the Sokoto Marshals along Airport Road in Sokoto.
It also cited the reported demolition of its governorship campaign office in Kebbi State and the alleged denial of a campaign venue in Enugu State to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi.
The council further expressed concern over reported attacks on the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, and other opposition voices.
In a striking description of the alleged developments, the ADC-PCC declared:
“These are calculated atrocious actions skewed to scare Nigerians ahead of the general elections.”
The council argued that the incidents went beyond isolated political disagreements, alleging that they reflected attempts to create an atmosphere of fear capable of discouraging opposition parties from organising, mobilising supporters and freely presenting alternatives to Nigerians.
It warned that Nigeria’s democracy could suffer if political competition became increasingly restricted by intimidation and the misuse of public institutions.
ADC invokes Obasanjo’s third-term struggle
In drawing attention to the dangers of political suppression, the campaign council recalled the resistance that confronted former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s controversial third-term agenda, arguing that Nigerians had historically demonstrated their determination to defend democratic freedoms.
It maintained that no administration could indefinitely suppress the political aspirations of citizens or prevent them from exercising their constitutional rights.
The ADC-PCC also reminded the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that it had benefited from the freedoms of opposition politics before assuming power, insisting that those same democratic principles must be extended to rival parties.
The council said political tolerance should not depend on whether a party is in government or opposition, stressing that the survival of democracy requires an environment where competing political interests can operate without fear.
El-Rufai’s detention raises fresh concerns
The campaign council also raised concerns over the continued detention of its Vice Chairman and former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.
It alleged that he was being unlawfully detained and denied bail, describing the situation as another source of concern in the wider debate over political freedoms and the treatment of opposition figures.
“The world is watching, and the burden of this illegality rests squarely on those responsible,” the Council stated.
The allegation adds another dimension to the ADC-PCC’s concerns about the treatment of opposition figures, although the legal circumstances surrounding El-Rufai’s detention remain a matter requiring examination through the relevant judicial and official records.
Not all Nigerians are for sale
In another explosive allegation, the ADC-PCC claimed that financial inducements were being deployed to compromise individuals and weaken opposition ranks ahead of the 2027 elections.
The council alleged that some individuals were being offered substantial sums of money and material benefits to abandon their political convictions and undermine opposition interests.
Without identifying the alleged beneficiaries or providing evidence in the statement, the council insisted that financial inducements would not extinguish Nigerians’ constitutional right to choose their political representatives.
“President Tinubu is at liberty to corruptly buy a few consciences with money and material inducements. Millions of Naira are being offered to weak individuals to mortgage their rights, but not all Nigerians are for sale,” the statement declared.
The campaign council called on Nigerians, regardless of political affiliation, to resist intimidation and defend their right to participate freely in the democratic process.
It reaffirmed its commitment to providing an alternative political platform, insisting that the choice of Nigeria’s next leaders must ultimately rest with voters rather than political pressure or coercion.
The latest allegations have further intensified the political debate surrounding the 2027 elections, particularly over the freedom of opposition parties to organise, campaign and compete.
However, the allegations against the Tinubu administration and the security outfits mentioned by the council require independent investigation and responses from the relevant authorities.
At stake, the ADC-PCC argued, is not merely the political survival of one opposition party but the constitutional right of Nigerians to have genuine choices at the ballot box.
