The Interim National Working Committee (INWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), has issued a scathing rebuke of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, characterizing Nigeria under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a “fully authoritarian regime.”
The opposition faction made its position public on Saturday morning, August 8, 2026, in Abuja through an official statement delivered by the INWC National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong.
The PDP faction commended a recent report by the international Human Rights Foundation published on its Tyranny Tracker platform, which classified Nigeria as an authoritarian state under the current administration.
Ememobong asserted that the global assessment merely validates the daily lived experience of millions of Nigerians under APC governance. He highlighted that Nigeria scored abysmally low across key democratic pillars evaluated by the foundation:
The party noted a systematic breakdown of institutional checks and balances, pointing to rule by executive influence rather than constitutional adherence.
Ememobong cited aggressive media attacks by administration officials against prominent religious figures, including the Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, and the broader Christian community as evidence of a shrinking civic space.
The PDP accused the National Assembly of abandoning its constitutional oversight duty, alleging it has consistently allowed the executive to operate without strict compliance with national Appropriation Acts.
The statement condemned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for institutional bias, alleging the umpire denied the interim committee electronic access codes to upload candidates, forcing the party to submit its list manually—including former President Goodluck Jonathan as its 2027 presidential candidate in accordance with the Electoral Act 2026.
Addressing reporters in Abuja, Comrade Ememobong warned President Tinubu that attempts to dismantle opposition structures to force a one-party state threaten the very foundation of the federation.
“What did the cleric say that is not the lived experience of Nigerians, except, of course, the few who are isolated from reality and their paid human megaphones? The President must realise that there are two contests embedded in the 2027 Presidential elections, the presidency and the country. Attempting to win the presidency at all costs could result in the loss of the country.” said Comrade Ini Ememobong.
The Turaki-led leadership reaffirmed its resolve to continue its appellate court challenge regarding party leadership and urged the Federal Government and INEC to cease “electoral authoritarianism,” respect judicial processes, and safeguard Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.
