The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has warned President Bola Tinubu to stop actions capable of undermining Nigeria’s democratic institutions, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government of attempts to shut out opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Makinde spoke while reacting to the court judgment that nullified the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a development that has also thrown the political future and 2027 presidential ambition of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar into uncertainty.Follow Politics
The governor warned that governments would come and go, but Nigeria would remain, urging the Tinubu administration not to destroy critical democratic institutions, particularly the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“I want to appeal to President Bola Tinubu. Governments will come and go, but our country will remain. Please, do not destroy our institutions, be it the Judiciary or INEC. Stop trying to shut out the opposition,” Makinde said.
He argued that INEC must remain independent and discharge its constitutional responsibility of conducting free, fair, and credible elections without political interference.
According to him, political parties and candidates should be allowed to compete freely, insisting that the ruling party should seek electoral victory through the ballot rather than actions that could weaken opposition parties.
“We all witnessed the court judgment, that basically nullified the leadership of a major opposition party, ADC, and also, by that action, the candidature of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar came under threat,” he said.
