The People’s Redemption Party (PRP) has accused the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of undermining democratic institutions and steering Nigeria toward what it described as a “dominant party autocracy” ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The allegations were made during the PRP 2026 National Primaries and Convention held Saturday at the Kano Press Centre in Kano State, where party leaders and delegates gathered to elect representatives and outline the party’s political direction for the next electoral cycle.

Speaking at the convention, the National Chairman of PRP-Vanguard, Comrade Abdulmajid Yakubu Daudu, said Nigeria’s democracy was under serious threat due to what he termed increasing state-sponsored political manipulation, weakening opposition parties, and the erosion of institutional independence.

Addressing party members, Daudu described the convention as “a people-driven democratic process” aimed at strengthening internal democracy and reaffirming the PRP’s ideological roots as a socialist-oriented party committed to the interests of the masses.

“The PRP remains the authentic party of the talakawa,” he declared. “Politics must remain a vehicle for public service and not a private enterprise for political merchants and members of the ruling elite.”

Daudu noted that the PRP, which he described as Nigeria’s “oldest surviving socialist party,” had survived military suppression and political sabotage over the years, but was still facing attempts by “mercenary politicians” to hijack the party for personal and political gain.

He alleged that the ruling class had systematically infiltrated opposition parties in a bid to weaken resistance and establish one-party dominance in the country.

“Today nearly all non-regime political parties are battling with mercenaries acting as willing tools of government to subvert and weaken the collective opposition,” he said. “Nigeria has receded from democratic consolidation into the enthronement of autocracy under dominant party rule.”

The PRP chairman accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of placing itself above the law and reducing democratic institutions to extensions of executive power.

According to him, the legislature now functions “as an appendage of the executive,” while the judiciary is increasingly viewed as pliant to government interests.

He further warned that the weakening of democratic institutions posed a serious threat to national security and the survival of the Fourth Republic.

“The degeneration of governance is the biggest threat to the survival of the country,” Daudu stated. “Once public institutions collapse under political manipulation, democracy becomes a farce.”

The PRP also linked the country’s worsening insecurity and economic hardship to corruption, poor governance, and lack of accountability among political leaders.

Daudu criticized anti-corruption agencies such as the EFCC and ICPC, describing them as “toothless and impotent,” while alleging that public office holders continue to enrich themselves without consequences.

The party called on Nigerians to resist oppression and political injustice, invoking the slogan “We no go gree” and the Hausa phrase “Mun ki,” meaning “we refuse.”

As part of its resolutions, the PRP demanded:

– An end to what it called dominant party autocracy;
– Immediate registration of qualified political associations by INEC;
– A living wage for workers;
– Reduction in the rising cost of living;
– Fairer petroleum pricing;
– Re-nationalisation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC);
– Greater transparency in Nigeria’s foreign security agreements; and
– Renewed regional security cooperation with Alliance of Sahel States (AES) countries.

The party also expressed doubts about the credibility of the 2027 general elections, alleging that the electoral process was already skewed in favour of the ruling party.

“By all indications, the 2027 elections are already rigged,” Daudu claimed. “An election cannot be credible where the process itself is manipulated to favour those in power.”

He accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of failing to demonstrate sufficient independence, while also criticizing mainstream opposition politicians for what he described as opportunistic political maneuvering ahead of the next election cycle.

Despite its concerns, the PRP said it would continue mobilising Nigerians around issues of social justice, economic equality, and democratic accountability.

The convention closes with the election of party representatives who, according to the leadership, would serve as “foot soldiers in the continued struggle for freedom, social justice, and development in Nigeria.”