By Sandra Kenneth
Port Harcourt-based leadership expert, Professor George Ahunanya, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of systematically undermining Nigeria’s democratic principles by deploying intimidation tactics to silence and suppress opposition political parties.
Ahunanya, who is the Chief Executive Director of the Institute for Research, Leadership and Capacity Development, asserted that the current struggles facing opposition parties are not merely the result of internal weaknesses, but are actively fueled by the hostile conduct of the APC-led administration.
Speaking exclusively with ExceedFM, the leadership expert pointed to a series of troubling incidents involving an unnamed opposition presidential candidate as evidence of a coordinated campaign of state-backed intimidation.
According to Prof Ahunanya, the candidate was repeatedly blocked from accessing Benue and Edo states for political engagements, while APC supporters allegedly threatened the same candidate during a visit to Rivers State. He further claimed that the candidate’s vehicle was deliberately vandalized at an airport in a brazen attempt to send a warning.
Ahunanya described these developments as a dangerous departure from established democratic norms, noting that such overt hostility toward opposition figures is unprecedented since Nigeria’s transition back to civil rule in 1999.
“These actions are deliberate attempts to intimidate, harass, and ultimately silence alternative political voices in the country,” Ahunanya stated, warning that a healthy democracy relies heavily on a vibrant and unhindered opposition.
Beyond political intimidation, he also criticized the APC-led government over its handling of national resources. He lamented what he described as widespread cases of financial recklessness and the alleged misappropriation of public funds, urging the administration to redirect its focus toward transparent governance and the economic well-being of Nigerians.
