Tinubu Running Nigeria Like an Empire, Using State Power to Crush Opposition – Sule Lamido

Sule Lamido has accused President Tinubu of running Nigeria like an empire and using state power to crush opposition.

NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of turning Nigeria’s democracy into an imperial system by weaponizing state institutions against opposition politicians.

Speaking to journalists in his Kano office on Tuesday, Lamido alleged that the Tinubu administration is deploying coercive tactics to force opposition leaders into joining the All Progressives Congress (APC), warning that the nation’s democratic foundations are under siege.

“Nigeria is no longer the country we knew 25 years ago. Tinubu has altered the political narrative completely and is determined to destroy democracy,” Lamido said.

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He cited the recent case of former Delta State Governor and PDP vice presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa, who reportedly faced N1.3 trillion corruption charges from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which vanished after his alleged defection to the APC.

“It is just like what Adams Oshiomhole once said: no matter your crime, once you join APC, you’re forgiven. This is the message Tinubu is sending—if you feel guilty, come to APC for protection. That’s not democracy; that’s tyranny,” he stated.

Lamido claimed that the Federal Government, under Tinubu’s leadership, is using intimidation, blackmail, harassment, and government patronage to dismantle the opposition. According to him, this poses a direct threat to Nigeria’s unity, security, and political stability.

He further accused the Tinubu administration of deliberately sowing division across regions, highlighting what he called a strategy of separating North Central from the core North, and pitting the South-East against the South-South for political gain.

“The country no longer operates as a united federation. Instead, we have an emperor who decides who rises or falls politically. The result is widespread panic among political actors,” Lamido declared.

On recent talks of an opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections, Lamido expressed skepticism, describing the current push as an incoherent gathering of political figures rather than an alliance of institutions.

“People are panicking, so there’s talk of coalitions. But unlike 2014, when there were structured parties like the CPC, ACN, and ANPP merging, this time it’s just individuals—Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai, and others. There’s no institutional foundation.”

He insisted that any meaningful coalition must be built on a shared vision for democracy, national unity, security, and economic prosperity—not on personal ambition or vendettas.

“I remain in the PDP. Yes, it has its flaws, but I cannot abandon the party that made me who I am. I was made a minister and governor under the PDP, and I’ve paid the price for my loyalty—detention, harassment, blackmail,” Lamido said.

He concluded by reaffirming his commitment to supporting only those efforts aligned with the PDP’s core values, adding that he would never back any political arrangement involving President Tinubu or the APC.