The Deputy Governor of Kano State, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, has voiced concerns about what he describes as an orchestrated effort by the federal government to weaken opposition parties in Nigeria.
Speaking during a verification exercise conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) national headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, December 12, Gwarzo described the current political climate as hostile.
“The national government is doing all it could to weaken opposition in the country.
“What opposition parties are going through? We are going through hell, politically speaking. These crises left, right, and center—they are artificial. They are being engineered and sponsored,” Gwarzo said.
Call for INEC’s intervention
Gwarzo urged INEC to take proactive steps to ensure a fair political playing field, emphasizing the electoral body’s role as an impartial umpire.
“So INEC should have a way, as the arbitrator and umpire saddled with the responsibility of ensuring democratic development, to checkmate any untoward excesses of any national government in power,” he said.
Vibrant opposition as democracy’s lifeblood, says Gwarzo
Highlighting the importance of opposition parties in sustaining democracy, Gwarzo likened opposition to the “oxygen” of democratic governance.
“I believe opposition, a vibrant opposition, is the oxygen of democracy in any given setting. Weakening it, or crippling it, will tantamount to killing democracy. If there is no oxygen within the system, certainly it will collapse,” Gwarzo stated.
The Deputy Governor appealed for strategies to preserve and nurture vibrant opposition, warning that a weakened opposition could have dire consequences for Nigeria’s democratic future.
“I urge INEC to come up with words and means to ensure the survival of democracy by preventing any excessive actions that undermine the opposition,” Gwarzo concluded.
Accord party vows to reclaim Nigeria from Tinubu
Earlier, Legit reported that the Accord Party declared its determination to reshape Nigeria’s political landscape in the 2027 general elections.
Specifically, the party vowed to reclaim Nigeria from the grip of the current administration led by President Bola Tinubu. Joseph Omorogbe, the Accord party’s National Publicity Secretary, made this bold statement during an exclusive interview with Legit.