By Desire Emmanuel
The former governor of Niger State and Chairman of the former Governors’ Forum, Babangida Aliyu, on Tuesday, December 16, declared that under the current political trajectory of Nigeria in the hands of All Progressives Congress (APC), the country is systematically and dangerously sliding into a one-party state.
Speaking on behalf of the forum during an interactive meeting with the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the former Ministers’s Forum, Aliyu expressed concern over the shrinking political space, the rising wave of induced defections, and the systematic weakening of opposition institutions, which he described as a calculated attempt to stifle democracy and impose a totalitarian regime on Nigerians.
“We observe with alarm the aggressive maneuvers by the ruling APC to obliterate the opposition,” Aliyu said
“The relentless poaching of opposition figures and the weaponisation of state institutions to intimidate dissenting voices are clear indicators that Nigeria is sliding dangerously into a one-party state. This is not just a threat to the PDP, but also a direct assault on the democratic hard-won freedoms of every Nigerian citizen,” he added.
He noted that a vibrant opposition is the bedrock of any thriving democracy, serving as a check on executive excesses.
“The PDP is not dead; it is evolving,” he declared. “We are pleased to note that under the stewardship of Tanimu Turaki, the NWC is effectively repositioning the party. His leadership has brought a renewed sense of purpose, discipline, and reconciliation that is critical for our resurgence.”
In a spirited response aimed at galvanizing party stakeholders, leaders and supporters, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, declared that the legacy of the PDP’s 16-year governance remains the benchmark for development in Nigeria, asserting that citizens are yearning for a return to the prosperity and stability experienced during that era.
Turaki opined that the current socio-economic realities facing the nation have vindicated the PDP’s track record. He emphasized that the period between 1999 and 2015 represented a “golden era” of economic liberalisation, institutional strengthening, and national cohesion.
“We are at a critical juncture in our nation’s history where the difference between competence and propaganda has become glaringly obvious to the common man,” Turaki stated. “Nigerians cannot forget the PDP’s 16 glorious years. These were years when Nigeria became the largest economy in Africa, when our foreign debt was cleared, and when the middle class was thriving, not disappearing,” he said.
