Political Bombshell | TheDailyCourierNG
Opposition party claims ruling APC using pressure tactics to force defections amid growing exodus
The Peoples Democratic Party has fired a political bombshell, alleging that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is orchestrating a systematic harassment campaign designed to force opposition governors into abandoning their party and joining the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Kola Ologbondiyan, a prominent PDP chieftain, delivered these explosive accusations during a television appearance that has sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s political establishment, essentially accusing the ruling party of using underhanded tactics to weaken the opposition through intimidation rather than legitimate political competition.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program on Tuesday, Ologbondiyan painted a disturbing picture of opposition governors under siege, facing what he described as coordinated pressure designed to break their political will and force them into switching parties against their genuine convictions.
“They are being humiliated and whether they can openly say it or not, they are being forced to abandon their party and join the All Progressive Congress,” Ologbondiyan declared, using language that suggests a level of political coercion that goes far beyond normal inter-party competition.
His allegations come at a particularly sensitive moment in Nigerian politics, following the stunning defections of two prominent PDP governors – Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State and Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State – who recently announced their decisions to join the APC. Both governors cited internal PDP crises as their reason for leaving, but Ologbondiyan’s claims suggest a more sinister motivation behind these high-profile departures.
The timing of these accusations is especially significant given the recent political drama in Rivers State, where President Tinubu personally intervened to broker peace between Governor Sim Fubara and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. The sight of these three political heavyweights smiling together in carefully staged photographs has been interpreted by many as a major political victory for the APC and a corresponding defeat for the PDP.
Ologbondiyan didn’t mince words about the political implications of this intervention, acknowledging that “Tinubu stepping in to settle the rift between Wike and Fubara was a political win for the APC and a loss for the PDP.” His candid admission reveals how the opposition party views these recent developments – not as natural political realignments, but as strategic defeats in what appears to be an increasingly uneven political contest.
The PDP chieftain’s allegations raise fundamental questions about the nature of political competition in Nigeria. If true, his claims suggest that the ruling party may be using the powers and resources of government to pressure opposition leaders into switching sides, representing a serious threat to democratic norms and multi-party competition.
“Talking about the Rivers situation, I will be honest. I think that the PDP did all it could, some on a negative side, others on a positive side. I think the takeaway for the People’s Democratic Party in this matter is that its governors are being harassed,” Ologbondiyan stated, his words carrying the weight of someone who believes his party is under systematic attack.
The reference to harassment and humiliation suggests tactics that go beyond normal political pressure. In Nigerian politics, such language typically refers to the use of government agencies, security forces, or other state apparatus to create uncomfortable situations for opposition figures until they capitulate to ruling party demands.
The backdrop to these allegations includes the extraordinary political crisis in Rivers State, where President Tinubu took the unprecedented step of declaring a political state of emergency in March. This action suspended Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the state’s House of Assembly – a move that demonstrated the federal government’s willingness to use extraordinary powers in state-level political disputes.
However, Sunday’s surprise reconciliation meeting between Tinubu, Fubara, and Wike represented a dramatic shift in approach. The carefully orchestrated peace summit, complete with smiling photographs, suggested a more sophisticated strategy of co-optation rather than confrontation.
For the PDP, this reconciliation represents a particularly painful defeat because it effectively removes Rivers State from their column of reliable strongholds. With Fubara now apparently reconciled with both the presidency and Wike, the PDP has lost significant influence in one of Nigeria’s most politically and economically important states.
The pattern of governor defections that Ologbondiyan highlighted represents more than individual political decisions – it suggests a broader trend that could fundamentally alter Nigeria’s political landscape. When sitting governors switch parties, they don’t just change their personal affiliations; they typically bring with them entire political structures, funding sources, and electoral machinery.
The defections of Governors Oborevwori and Eno are particularly significant because they represent different regions of Nigeria, suggesting that whatever pressures Ologbondiyan alleges may be operating across multiple geographical and political contexts rather than being isolated to specific areas.
Ologbondiyan’s strategic advice to his party – to “move on from the crisis in Rivers State and focus on protecting the loyalty of its governors” – reveals both the defensive position the PDP finds itself in and the recognition that further defections could be catastrophic for the party’s future prospects.
The allegation that governors are being “forced” to join the APC raises serious questions about the methods being employed. In Nigerian political parlance, such language often refers to the strategic use of corruption investigations, security agency harassment, budget restrictions, or other forms of administrative pressure designed to make opposition governance extremely difficult.
If these allegations have merit, they would represent a significant escalation in the use of federal power to reshape the political landscape. Such tactics, while not uncommon in Nigerian politics, represent a threat to democratic competition and the principle that political parties should compete on the basis of ideas and performance rather than coercion.
The APC’s apparent success in securing these defections, regardless of the methods employed, demonstrates the party’s growing confidence and the PDP’s corresponding vulnerability. For a party that once controlled the federal government for 16 years, finding itself on the defensive against systematic pressure campaigns represents a dramatic reversal of political fortunes.
Ologbondiyan’s public acknowledgment of these pressures also represents a strategic communications decision by the PDP. By openly discussing harassment and humiliation, the party appears to be attempting to frame the narrative around defections as illegitimate coercion rather than genuine political realignment.
The question now is whether other PDP governors will heed Ologbondiyan’s warning and resist whatever pressures they may be facing, or whether the pattern of defections will continue to erode the party’s remaining power bases across Nigeria.
For Nigerian democracy, these allegations raise uncomfortable questions about the boundaries of legitimate political competition. While parties have always competed for members and leaders, the systematic use of state power to pressure opposition figures represents a qualitatively different and more troubling phenomenon.
The response from the APC to these allegations will be closely watched, as will the behavior of remaining PDP governors who may now find themselves under increased scrutiny and pressure. Ologbondiyan’s explosive claims have essentially drawn a line in the sand, challenging his party to resist what he characterizes as an organized campaign of political intimidation.
Whether these allegations represent legitimate concerns about democratic governance or political theater designed to explain away natural defections, they underscore the increasingly high-stakes nature of Nigerian party politics and the lengths to which parties may go to gain or maintain political advantage.
The coming months will likely reveal whether Ologbondiyan’s warnings prove prophetic or whether the PDP can stem the tide of defections and rebuild its position as a viable opposition force in Nigerian politics.
DEVELOPING STORY: TheDailyCourierNG will continue monitoring reactions to these allegations and any response from the APC or affected governors.
What do you think about these allegations of political harassment? Are defections natural political realignments or something more concerning?