Democracy at Risk Without Strong Opposition, Uzodinma Warns After APC Primary

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma has cautioned that Nigeria’s democracy faces danger if opposition parties fail to build structures capable of mounting a credible challenge to the ruling All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Uzodinma issued the warning on Saturday at the APC presidential primary in Imo State, where President Bola Tinubu was virtually unopposed in his bid for a second-term ticket.

The governor stated that democracy ceases to exist without a viable opposition. He encouraged opposition parties to work hard and emulate what the ruling party has done, noting that when their turn comes, they too would be able to elect their own president.

Earlier, Uzodinma had declared that the APC’s grassroots dominance had effectively settled the 2027 presidential contest even before votes were cast. He pointed to the party’s electronic membership registration drive, which he said achieved broad grassroots inclusiveness, now visible in the scale of participation at the primary.

He explained that with thousands of members in a single ward across local governments, if all party members vote for President Tinubu, the election is already won.

The governor also praised Tinubu directly, saying the president had earned a second term and had demonstrated how politics should be conducted.