Fears of One-Party Dominance Rise as Violent PDP Crisis Threatens Democracy
Nigeria’s democracy faces mounting threats as violent scenes at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headquarters expose deepening rifts within the opposition. The struggle between Makinde-Bala Mohammed leadership and the Wike-backed faction resulted in the storming of the party secretariat, tear gas confrontations, and journalists injured in Abuja.
The Wike faction expelled three governors—Seyi Makinde, Bala Mohammed, and Dauda Lawal—and several senior party leaders, escalating what observers call the largest purge in PDP history. Amid police intervention, Kabiru Turaki and his allies accused “enemies of democracy” of assaulting the party and praised law enforcement for preventing further bloodshed, though the crisis forced meetings to be postponed.
Reacting to the incident, opposition parties ADC and MCE warned the ruling APC was destabilizing the opposition and accused the government of abusing state power, risking one-party rule ahead of the 2027 elections. ADC condemned the violent takeover as a dangerous assault on democracy and presented it as part of the government’s efforts to entrench one-party dominance by force.
Senator Emmanuel Onwe and other critics described the pattern of mass defections and internal power struggles as “political cannibalism,” eroding opposition, public trust, and paving the way for authoritarian rule. A nationwide membership audit and constitutional steps to recover defectors’ seats have been announced by PDP’s NEC to restore order before 2027.
Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed vowed the PDP would not be dismantled and urged unity to preserve Nigeria’s multi-party system. He cautioned the presidency against empowering individuals using state power for personal vendettas, warning that such actions undermine democratic institutions.
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