LABOUR PARTY ACCUSES APC OF ATTEMPTING TO WEAKEN OPPOSITION, APC DENIES ALLEGATIONS

The Labour Party (LP) has raised alarm over what it described as a calculated effort by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to cripple opposition forces and weaken democratic institutions in Nigeria. The party claimed that the APC has been exploiting state resources and institutions to harass opposition leaders and stifle dissent.

Speaking at the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Global Award and Dinner Night on Monday in Abuja, LP’s acting National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, issued a strong statement accusing the APC of undermining the core principles of democracy. Although her remarks were delivered by her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Eluma Asogwa, Usman’s message was direct and unsparing.

According to her, “Since the emergence of the APC as the ruling party, there has been a deliberate and relentless campaign to undermine the opposition. Tactics range from infiltration and co-optation to judicial manipulation and intimidation through state institutions. This is not democracy; this is domination masked as governance.”

Usman Warns Against Erosion of Democratic Values

In her address, Usman emphasized the vital role that dissent and political opposition play in sustaining a healthy democracy. She noted that a vibrant political system cannot survive in an environment where one party is allowed to dominate without challenge.

“Without a strong and functional opposition, we cannot claim to be practising democracy — only a shadow of it,” she said. She warned that when opposition voices are silenced, democracy is at risk of degeneration into authoritarianism.

Despite her sharp criticisms of the ruling party, Usman also turned the spotlight inward, acknowledging the internal flaws within opposition parties. She lamented the lack of unity and vision among opposition actors and called for a new era of selflessness and collaboration to present Nigerians with a credible alternative.

Opposition Must Also Share the Blame, Says Usman

While pointing fingers at the APC, Usman was quick to admit that the opposition itself has contributed to its own decline. She highlighted internal wrangling, personal ambition, and greed as key issues that have plagued opposition parties and rendered them vulnerable to external manipulation.

“But let me also be brutally honest,” she noted. “While external interference from the APC has played a role, it is not the only culprit. The opposition has too often been complicit in its weakening. No amount of external sabotage can succeed if there is no internal decay.”

Usman urged opposition leaders to rise above self-interest and petty rivalries, and instead embrace a higher sense of patriotism and responsibility. She called for action-oriented politics that goes beyond rhetoric, warning that the legitimacy of Nigeria’s democracy is at stake if there are no credible alternatives to the ruling party.

APC Dismisses Allegation as Baseless

In a swift reaction, the All Progressives Congress rejected the accusations leveled by the Labour Party, describing them as baseless and politically motivated. APC’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, dismissed the claims during a phone conversation with our correspondent.

Basiru described the opposition’s proposed alliance as nothing more than a coalition of political desperadoes. “They can’t work together. The so-called planned coalition is the figment of the imagination of some individuals who thought that they were big,” he said.

He further mocked the initiative as an “association of internally displaced politicians,” ridiculing the idea that the opposition could pose any real threat to the APC’s political dominance. Basiru maintained that the APC remained focused on governance and national development, not on sabotaging opposition parties.

The Future of Nigeria’s Political Landscape

The back-and-forth between the LP and APC once again highlights the fragile state of Nigeria’s political opposition and the contentious relationship between ruling and rival parties. While the LP continues to accuse the APC of heavy-handed tactics, the ruling party insists the opposition’s disarray is of its own making.

Nonetheless, political analysts argue that Nigeria’s democracy stands to benefit more from constructive opposition than from allegations and counter-allegations. A multiparty system thrives best when all players are committed to fair competition, accountability, and national development.

Senator Usman’s call for unity and introspection within the opposition, combined with her plea for a democratic system that allows for genuine dissent, underscores a growing concern among political watchers: without a credible and functional opposition, Nigeria’s democracy may be reduced to a one-party state in all but name.