Dare Babalola
Paul Ibe, the media adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has warned that any deterioration in Nigeria’s democratic system ahead of the 2027 general elections should be attributed to the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Ibe made the assertion in a post shared on X on Wednesday, where he accused the Tinubu-led government of pursuing policies that could weaken opposition parties and potentially tilt the country toward authoritarian rule.
He argued that such developments, if left unchecked, could undermine Nigeria’s hard-won democracy.
Drawing historical parallels, Ibe compared the current political climate to the era of late military ruler Sani Abacha, when multiple political parties were reportedly aligned with a single authority.
He referenced a remark by the late Chief Bola Ige, who described such a political arrangement as “five fingers of a leprous hand,” suggesting a facade of plurality without genuine opposition.
He further cautioned that Nigeria’s size and strategic importance in Africa meant that any political instability could have ripple effects across the West African subregion and beyond, urging both domestic stakeholders and the international community not to remain passive observers.
Ibe also called attention to individuals involved in the electoral process, including the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joash Amupitan, stressing the need for accountability in safeguarding democratic institutions and ensuring free and fair elections.
He warned that failure to protect democratic norms could lead to consequences similar to those witnessed in Nigeria’s political history.
He wrote, “The ill-advised policy of the Tinubu-led APC administration to destroy the opposition and pave the way for a full-blown dictatorship reminds me of the five political parties registered by late Gen. Sani Abacha, which all endorsed him as their sole presidential candidate. The late Chief Bola Ige referred to it as ‘five fingers of a leprous hand.’
“If anything were to happen to our hard-won democracy and the 2027 elections, Tinubu and Amupitan should be primarily held responsible.
“And for those involved in this effort to subvert Nigeria’s democracy, they need to be reminded how it ended in 1998. #OccupyINEC”
The comments come amid heightened political discourse over electoral integrity, opposition participation, and concerns about the future of Nigeria’s multi-party democracy as the 2027 elections approach.
