The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of converting Nigeria into a “full authoritarian state,” citing a recent Human Rights Foundation (HRF) assessment that classifies the country as a fully authoritarian regime. In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the PDP said the report merely confirms what Nigerians have experienced under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The HRF’s Tyranny Tracker evaluation, published on tyrannytracker.org, rates Nigeria “abysmally low” across all critical pillars, indicating a complete descent into authoritarianism incompatible with democratic tenets. The foundation’s parameters include rule by a dictator or a small group, absence of institutional checks and balances, erosion of freedom of speech, targeting of opposition, and weak or fraudulent Elections. The PDP asserted that all these indicators are present under the current administration.
The opposition party highlighted several examples. It pointed to what it described as “uncivilised and uncouth media attacks” by government officials against Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, the Catholic Church and Christianity broadly, arguing that the clergy’s remarks reflect the lived reality of most citizens. The PDP also criticised the National Assembly for failing to provide meaningful oversight, noting that the executive has not executed the Appropriation Act for three years yet receives commendation rather than condemnation from the legislature. A parliament that disregards the constitution and its own standing rules, the statement said, cannot offer credible checks on the executive.
Looking ahead, the PDP warned that the 2027 elections are being designed as a mere formality, far from reflecting the people’s will at the ballot box. It called on the Tinubu administration to immediately de-escalate political tensions stemming from the actions of its officials and proxies. Specific demands included halting the “continuous asphyxiation of the opposition,” ending the weaponisation of security agencies against real and perceived opponents, curbing increasing partisanship by the electoral umpire, and stopping reckless political rhetoric from the president and his handlers.
The statement underscored that the 2027 presidential contest involves two stakes: the presidency itself and the survival of the country. An attempt to secure the former at all costs, it argued, risks losing the latter. Only a free, fair, credible and peaceful election can guarantee both outcomes. The PDP urged Nigerians to keep demanding accountability from leaders at all levels, describing it as the irreducible minimum that democracy provides.
