ADC condemns violent invasion of PDP secretariat, warns of creeping authoritarianism

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has condemned the violent takeover of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, national secretariat in Abuja, describing the development as a grave assault on Nigeria’s democracy and a troubling sign of rising authoritarian tendencies.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party accused senior figures within the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, of deploying armed operatives to forcefully occupy the opposition party’s headquarters on November 14.

The ADC alleged that the action formed part of a broader strategy by the federal government to weaken multiparty democracy and suppress dissent ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to the statement, the Bola Tinubu administration was “sending a chilling message” by permitting or encouraging the use of force in partisan political disputes. It warned that the precedent, if left unchecked, could embolden similar actions against labour unions, media organisations, student bodies and other civic groups.

BREAKING: Terrorism conviction: Nnamdi Kanu lawyer, Ejimakor reveals next step after life imprisonment
The party rejected arguments that the matter was an internal PDP affair, insisting it had far-reaching implications for the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system and the protection of democratic freedoms.

It described the incident as a “new low” in what it termed the federal government’s recurring pattern of anti-democratic behaviour.

The ADC called on Nigerians and international partners to pay close attention to what it described as a dangerous escalation in the political environment.

‎Court sentences Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment for terrorism
It further demanded an independent inquiry into the role played by the police and other security agencies during the incident and urged President Bola Tinubu to restrain political actors to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.

The party noted that its earlier statement on the matter had already characterised the invasion of the PDP secretariat as a direct threat to civil liberties and “another episode in the ruling party’s insidious effort to destabilise opposition parties.”