APC undermines democracy, opposition — LP’s Nenadi Usman

Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the Labour Party (LP), Senator Nenadi Usman, has criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for allegedly deploying various tactics, including intimidation, manipulation, and harassment, to stifle the opposition.

Usman, a former Minister of Finance, stated that such tactics undermine democracy, particularly with the growing trend of pressuring opposition party members to defect to the APC.

Speaking at the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Global Award and Dinner Night held in Abuja, Usman accused the APC of using state institutions to force the opposition to conform to its wishes.

Represented by her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Mr Ken Eluma Asogwa, the chairman stated, “Since the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (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 the use of state institutions for harassment, intimidation, and even judicial manipulation. The ruling party has become adept not just at consolidating power but at weakening every form of challenge to it. This is not democracy. This is domination masked as governance.

“The APC cannot in good conscience profess commitment to democratic ideals while simultaneously working to destabilise opposition parties like the Labour Party and others.

“A system that weaponises state resources to sow discord within rival parties is not one committed to free and fair competition—it is indeed one invested in authoritarian control.”

Usman argued that a strong and prosperous democratic culture can only be achieved when a viable opposition exists, noting that democracy “thrives not through silence or submission but through robust debate, critique, and the offering of credible alternatives.”

She added, “Without a strong and functional opposition, we cannot claim to be practising democracy—only a shadow of it.

“Around the world, we have seen how opposition movements shape democratic resilience. Yet here at home, we are witnessing the slow suffocation of opposition voices—not by accident, but by design.”

She called on opposition parties in Nigeria to set aside personal ambitions, greed, and internal divisions, and instead focus on providing credible alternatives for the people.

“But let me also be brutally honest: 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 own weakening.

“We must acknowledge that personal ambition, greed, and internal divisions have made us vulnerable. No amount of external sabotage can succeed if there is no internal decay. That is why I say the most potent antidote is not merely vigilance, but patriotism—genuine, uncompromising patriotism.

“When our leaders put Nigeria first—above ambition, above ego, above the lure of quick power—no ruling party can break us. It is time to stop acting like victims and start behaving like visionaries. Our role is not to whine about the state of the nation but to fight for its redemption.

“It does this country no good to operate a system where one party dominates unchecked. Even the APC, if it is wise, should understand that democracy dies not with a bang but with the silence of dissent. Once the people are left with no real alternative, the legitimacy of the entire system is at risk.

“As Nelson Mandela wisely said, ‘A strong democracy needs a strong opposition—because only through scrutiny, criticism, and open debate can a government serve its people well.’”

She stressed the need to rebuild the opposition, saying, “That is our task. That is our mission. We must rebuild the opposition—not as scattered entities chasing relevance—but as a united force driven by shared values, sound policy ideas, and the unshakable will to offer Nigerians the leadership they deserve.

“We must call out the failures of the APC administration—its economic mismanagement, insecurity, shrinking civic space, and worsening inequality. But more importantly, we must come armed with real solutions and speak not just to the frustrations of Nigerians but to their hopes.

“In the words of former U.S. President Barack Obama, ‘The role of an opposition party is not simply to oppose, but to hold the government accountable, to challenge ideas, and to propose better ones.’ That is what we owe the Nigerian people.

“Not just criticism, but conviction. Not just slogans, but substance. Not just ambition, but action.”

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