• Says it’s up to Nigeria not to accept Pharaoh
• Face your collapsing PDP, Kaduna APC chieftain slams ex-Jigawa gov
From Desmond Mgboh, Kano and Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Former governor of Jigawa State and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sule Lamido, has decried what he called rising wave of intimidation, harassment and blackmail of political opponents by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-President Bola Tinubu administration.
Speaking to journalists in Kano, yesterday, the former foreign affairs minister also accused President Tinubu of engaging in divisive conducts for personal political gains, adding that such actions have led to distrust and disunity among Nigerians.
“The Federal Government, the Presidency and the APC are using the state institutions to destroy democracy. They are using them to quash the opposition. They are making use of blackmail, harassment and government patronage to those that surrender to all these.”
He cited several examples, one of which was the case of the former governor of Delta State and Atiku Abubbakar’s running mate in the 2023 presidential elections, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, who was recently accused of N1.3 trillion fraud.
“And then somehow, behind the scene, he found himself in the APC and then suddenly, there was no more EFCC chasing him around. The charges have been buried conveniently,” he stated.
“So, it means that true to the words of (Senator Adams) Oshiomhole, no matter your level of crime, if you join the APC, you will be forgiven. And that is why people are now trooping into the APC. Those who feel that they are guilty are now trooping in because they will be forgiven,” he lamented.
He also cited the case of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Kogi State senator, who was barred by the police from entering the National Assembly in apparent disregard of a court judgment.
Lamido felt that disregard for the rules of democracy was somehow linked to the country’s insecurity, lack of stability, lack of unity and lack of trust. “Because democracy is being destroyed, there is no security, no stability, no unity and no trust. There is no way a country can forge ahead if the components do not trust one another. The components of the country must be able to come together as a country of unity so that we will be able to have stability.
“But today, Nigeria’s components are not united. Tinubu has been able to put a wedge between the North Central and the core North or the North West. He has been able to put a division between the South East and the South-South, using unimaginable means to be able to create these divisions for him to manipulate and employ for his own political advantage.”
He insisted that it was up to Nigerians to resist the situation, which had seen governors defect from their political parties to the APC or had seen opposition party members sit tight in their own party but pledge total allegiance to the ruling party and their ambitions.
“It is up to Nigerians; it is up to you to say no, to say that we will not accept the Pharaoh we have in Tinubu, to say that we will not agree, to say that you cannot turn us into your personal empire. It is up to say no to him, it is not for me,” he stated.
The PDP chieftain also spoke about the coalition of political interests ahead of 2027, stating why he has been reluctant to join the coalition and why he may never join them. According to him, the present coalition of politicians consists of individuals, not institutions and parties as was the case in the past.
“We should be able to define the parameters. Why are we coming together? To me, it should be first, for democracy; two, for unity; three, for stability; four, for security and five, for prosperity. This should be the unifying factor for coming into a coalition not a coalition for vengeance or revenge.
“So, I am PDP and I will remain PDP even though it has a lot of problems, because I cannot walk out of my skin and be crowned in flesh and blood to be conferred with a smaller skin called ADC,” he stated.
On agitation for state creation, the former governor held that the desire for the creation of new states in Nigeria was legitimate but regretted that there were more pressing and exigent issues before the country than state creation.
He stressed that instead of state creation, the governance actors should direct their attention to existential issues of security, hunger, poverty and divisions that are almost crippling the country. “Would state creation solve these problems? If you create more states today in Nigeria, would it solve our problems?” he asked.
Meanwhile, Kaduna-based chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and National Coordinator, Disciples of Jagaban (DOJ), Abdulhakeem Adegoke Alawuje, has slammed Lamido over an outburst against President Tinubu.
He said: “One must ask: Is Alhaji Sule Lamido truly serious about the accusations he made or is he subtly mocking his own collapsing party?
“Let us not forget: the PDP was never built on genuine democratic values. It was borne out of military sentiment and handed over to a retired general and a Customs officer, both of whom ran it like a military parade ground, not a democratic institution.
“Blaming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the downfall of the PDP is not only dishonest but cowardly. It suggests that Alhaji Lamido is more interested in shifting blame than admitting his role in the party’s demise. Perhaps he is only speaking now to avoid being accused of silence as the PDP fades away.
“But let’s be honest: what exactly do you expect Tinubu to fix? The very mess your greed and self-interest created?
“The PDP was formed by a gang of close friends for common personal gain—not for national development. Some of the sincere founding members are long gone, leaving behind only political merchants and opportunists. The party has since been driven by ego, entitlement, and a hunger for power.
“In a party where ambition outweighs integrity and loyalty is replaced with betrayal, the foundation is bound to collapse.
“The truth is this: even the first major beneficiary of the PDP—Chief Olusegun Obasanjo—tore up his membership card publicly, and in doing so, tore up the party’s future. A political structure built on selfishness, tribal sentiment, and shallow alliances cannot endure.
“As I have said before, the PDP was never a natural choice of the people. It was forced on Nigerians by military men eager to return to the barracks. The party merely rode the tide of the times in 1999, but with over 80% of its founding fathers being unserious and self-serving, it was doomed from the start.
“Now, some opposition figures seem to be quietly waiting for President Tinubu to rescue their sinking party. That’s not only laughable—it’s shameful. How can those who once ruled with arrogance now expect rescue from the very man they vilified?
“Let it be known: President Tinubu is focused on building a stronger Nigeria, not reviving a failed party. The PDP collapsed by its own hand—don’t insult Nigerians by pretending otherwise.”
