Kabiru Turaki-led PDP faction has warned the UK High Commission of threats to Nigeria’s multi-party democracy and accused the APC government of weakening opposition politics
PDP Faction Warns UK of Threat to Nigeria’s Democracy
The Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party has raised concerns over what it described as growing threats to Nigeria’s multi-party democracy, accusing the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government of weakening democratic institutions and stifling opposition politics.
The faction made the allegations during a meeting with officials of the United Kingdom High Commission, where it raised concerns about the state of Nigeria’s democracy, the role of opposition parties and the country’s political outlook ahead of the 2026 and 2027 electoral cycles.
The meeting was held between the UK High Commission delegation and the PDP interim leadership led by Turaki, a former Minister of Special Duties and Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the PDP Interim National Working Committee through its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the engagement formed part of the party’s ongoing consultations with members of the international community over developments in Nigeria’s political space.
The British delegation was led by Fortune Aldred, Senior Political Adviser at the British High Commission, alongside Stephen Asek, Political Adviser for Cameroon.
Other members of the PDP delegation included National Secretary Wonyengikuro Daniel, National Treasurer Isa Abubakar, National Organising Secretary Theophilus Shan, National Legal Adviser Shafi Bara’u, Principal Private Secretary to the Chairman Ibrahim Abdullahi and Ememobong.
The opposition faction said the discussions covered what it described as the “asphyxiation of the opposition,” the prolonged leadership crisis within the PDP, Nigeria’s political outlook ahead of future elections and the possibility of former President Goodluck Jonathan returning to the presidential race in 2027.
Although the statement did not disclose the position taken by the faction on Jonathan’s possible candidature, it listed the issue among the major subjects discussed during the meeting.
Turaki told the UK delegation that preserving a strong opposition was crucial to the survival of Nigeria’s democratic system.
“The need to ensure the survival of multi-party democracy and the opposition remains critical to a thriving democratic system,” the factional chairman was quoted as saying.
He also accused the APC-led Federal Government of pursuing what he described as a “state capture disposition”, alleging that the administration was attempting to dominate Nigeria’s political landscape.
According to Turaki, the alleged actions and policies of the Federal Government had contributed to heightened political tensions across the country.
“The political temperature of the country has risen to fever-pitch levels, traceable majorly to the actions and inactions of the APC-led federal government, who are relentlessly provocative in their desire to forcefully capture every part of our country,” he said.
The PDP faction also linked its concerns to recent political developments, including President Bola Tinubu’s reported remark that “all is fair in politics”.
The party alleged that the statement could encourage the use of state institutions against opposition parties, although it did not provide evidence in the statement to substantiate the claim.
Responding on behalf of the British delegation, Aldred thanked the PDP faction for the engagement and assured the party that the issues raised would be communicated through the High Commission’s established diplomatic reporting channels.
He, however, stressed that Nigeria remained a sovereign country and that its political affairs were ultimately for Nigerians to determine.
According to the PDP statement, Aldred said the role of the High Commission was to understand political developments in Nigeria and communicate its observations through appropriate diplomatic channels.
The meeting comes amid a deepening leadership crisis within the PDP, with rival camps laying claim to control of the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general election.
The Turaki-led faction operates with an Interim National Working Committee headed by the former minister, while Ememobong serves as its spokesperson.
A rival faction is led by Abdulrahman Mohammed and backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who remains a PDP member while serving in the APC-led Federal Government.
The Mohammed-led faction has been recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission, which recently granted it access to its portal to upload candidates for the 2027 general election.
It remains unclear whether the UK High Commission has held a similar engagement with the rival faction.
