Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) figure, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of weaponizing state institutions to suppress the opposition and force defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking to journalists in Kano on Wednesday, Lamido reaffirmed his loyalty to the PDP but declared his readiness to support any political alliance capable of rescuing Nigeria from what he described as the failings of the APC-led government ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Lamido alleged that the current administration is “determined to destroy democracy” by deploying state power to intimidate, blackmail, and harass opposition politicians. According to him, the government’s use of patronage and selective justice encourages opposition members to defect to the APC in exchange for protection from prosecution.
“Today, Tinubu is using state institutions to crush the opposition. Those who face corruption charges suddenly have their ‘sins’ forgiven once they join the APC. It’s like what an APC chieftain once said, no matter your crime, once you join the APC, you’re forgiven. That’s why many are defecting. It’s a serious threat to our democracy,” he said.
The former Jigawa State governor also condemned the growing insecurity, disunity, and erosion of trust in the country, blaming these on the ruling party’s manipulation of state institutions for political advantage. He warned that Nigeria cannot progress without unity and mutual respect among its diverse regions.
Lamido further accused the Federal Government of promoting division by creating artificial rifts between the North-Central and the rest of the North, as well as between the South-East and South-South regions, for political gain.
“Today, Nigeria is no longer a united entity. People are panicking, and that panic is driving talk of new coalitions. But unlike 2014, when the coalition that defeated the PDP was organic, what we see now is just a gathering of individuals like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, and others not a true institutional alliance,” he said.
While distancing himself from the emerging opposition coalition, Lamido emphasized that any alliance must be built on clear principles: democracy, unity, security, stability, and national prosperity not personal ambition or revenge.
“I remain in the PDP. The party has its issues, but it is my political home. I’ve paid a price for my loyalty, I was harassed, detained, blackmailed, and nearly had my house destroyed. I can’t abandon my legacy and take on a new identity. I am PDP,” he stated.
However, Lamido added that he would support any credible arrangement within or outside the PDP that is aimed at safeguarding Nigeria in 2027, provided it does not involve the APC or President Tinubu.
On the current push for state creation, Lamido said while the agitation is legitimate, it does not address the root causes of Nigeria’s problems.
“Creating new states will not solve insecurity, poverty, hunger, or the growing North-South divide. These are the real issues that need urgent attention,” he said.
Commenting on reports that New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, had visited President Tinubu, Lamido said Kwankwaso had every right to meet the President and clarified that there was no personal conflict between them.
“We are in contact, even though we differ politically. I may belong to Party A, and he to Party B, but that does not make us enemies,” he added.
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