Former Governor of Jigawa State and one of the founding members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sule Lamido, has warned that Nigeria stands to suffer greatly if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu succeeds in weakening or dismantling the opposition party.
Speaking during a recent interview with journalists, Lamido addressed the ongoing crisis within the PDP and the rising number of defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He firmly stated that the survival of the PDP is directly tied to the stability of Nigeria, arguing that the party has played a central role in the country’s democratic evolution since 1999.
“If you destroy the PDP, you destroy Nigeria,” Lamido emphasised. He pointed to the PDP’s contributions to national development, including producing presidents, governors, and ministers over the last 25 years. Without the PDP’s legacy, he said, Nigeria’s political structure would be fundamentally weakened.
Lamido accused President Tinubu of using the power of his office to suppress opposition parties, describing such actions as self-defeating.
“The more Tinubu tries to destroy the party, the more he could work against his own interests,” he warned, adding that undermining institutions like the PDP does not serve Nigeria’s democratic health.
On the issue of defections from the PDP, Lamido predicted a reversal of the trend. “Give us till the end of the year—those who left are coming back,” he asserted.
He blamed the fear of EFCC persecution for the current wave of defections, questioning the integrity of APC members and citing former APC chairman Adams Oshiomhole’s infamous statement that joining the ruling party cleanses one of past wrongdoing.
He urged Nigerians not to be intimidated and called for the anti-graft agency to first address corruption within the ruling party.
Discussing the PDP’s internal issues and its readiness for the 2027 general elections, Lamido insisted there was no cause for concern.
Drawing from his 45 years in politics, he said the PDP has weathered worse storms and remains the most credible opposition force.
He accused the current administration of acting more like a political empire than a democratic government, using state institutions to coerce and intimidate dissenters.
Still, Lamido expressed confidence in the PDP’s resilience, saying the party will emerge stronger in due course.
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