PDP Backs International Claims of Tinubu's Authoritarian Drift

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Tanimu Turaki, has endorsed the recent global assessment by the Human Rights Foundation (HRF), which classified Nigeria as a “fully authoritarian regime” under President Bola Tinubu. According to a statement issued by Comrade Ini Ememobong, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, this assessment serves as a global validation of the experiences Nigerians have allegedly endured under the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government.

Ememobong highlighted that the HRF report, published on its Tyranny Tracker platform, indicates a significant erosion of democratic safeguards and institutional checks and balances within the country. He emphasized Nigeria's notably poor performance across the critical pillars used by the foundation for its assessment, which he described as clear evidence of the nation's descent into authoritarianism. The PDP spokesman affirmed that the parameters employed by the Human Rights Foundation align with established theoretical frameworks used to identify authoritarian regimes, which typically include characteristics such as rule by a dictator or a small group, the absence of institutional checks and balances, restrictions on freedom of speech, the targeting of political opposition, and weak electoral processes.

The PDP argued that these indicators of authoritarianism are increasingly manifest in Nigeria under the current Tinubu administration. As an example, Ememobong cited recent media attacks by government officials against prominent religious figures and institutions, including Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, the Catholic Church, and Christianity at large. He contended that such incidents are among several instances demonstrating an alleged shrinking space for freedom of expression under the present government, questioning why a cleric's statements, reflecting the lived experiences of many Nigerians, would provoke such a reaction from those seemingly detached from reality.

Furthermore, Ememobong criticized the National Assembly for its perceived failure to provide effective oversight and checks on the executive arm of government. He raised concerns about an administration allegedly failing to execute the Appropriation Act for three years consecutively, yet receiving commendation rather than censure from the legislature. The PDP spokesman further alleged that the National Assembly has shown disregard for the Constitution and its own standing rules during crucial legislative activities, thereby weakening its capacity to offer credible oversight of the executive.

Addressing the upcoming 2027 general elections, the PDP spokesman expressed concerns that the process is being reduced to a mere formality, rather than allowing Nigerian citizens to freely choose their leaders through the ballot box. He urged the Tinubu administration to take immediate measures to de-escalate what he described as rising political tensions, which he attributed to the actions of government officials and their alleged proxies. Ememobong specifically called on the administration to cease the “continuous asphyxiation of the opposition,” the alleged weaponization of security agencies against both real and perceived opponents, the increasing signs of partisanship displayed by the electoral umpire, and the “reckless deployment of political rhetoric” by the President and his handlers.

In a stark warning, Ememobong cautioned President Tinubu that the 2027 presidential election would encompass two critical contests: the struggle for the presidency itself and a broader contest over the future trajectory of the country. He articulated that an attempt to secure the presidency “at all costs” could ultimately result in the loss of the country, emphasizing that only a free, fair, credible, and peaceful electoral contest can ensure victory in both spheres. Concluding his statement, the PDP spokesman implored Nigerians to persist in demanding accountability from their leaders at all levels, defining accountability as the “irreducible minimum” guaranteed by a democratic system.