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

Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, has warned that Nigeria’s democracy could be endangered if opposition parties fail to build strong political structures capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Uzodinma made the remarks on Saturday during the APC presidential primary in Imo State, where President Bola Ahmed Tinubu emerged as the party’s preferred candidate for a second term with overwhelming support.

Speaking at the event, the governor stressed that democracy thrives only when there is healthy competition among political parties. According to him, the absence of a vibrant opposition weakens democratic principles and reduces the quality of governance.

“It is no longer democracy if there is no opposition. I encourage opposition parties to work hard, do what the ruling party has done, and when, by the grace of God, it becomes their turn, they will elect their own president,” Uzodinma stated.

The governor also declared that the APC’s growing grassroots strength had already positioned the party strongly ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He pointed to the party’s electronic membership registration and validation exercise as evidence of increasing nationwide support.

According to him, the registration process improved grassroots inclusiveness and boosted participation across wards and local governments. Uzodinma claimed that some wards recorded as many as 35,000 registered party members, describing the development as a major political advantage for the APC.

“If all our party members vote for President Bola Tinubu, he has already won the election,” he said.

Uzodinma further praised Tinubu’s leadership style and political strategy, insisting that the president had earned the right to seek re-election based on his achievements and approach to governance.

“President Bola Tinubu has done enough to deserve going back for a second time. I want to congratulate him for taking the time to do politics the way it should be done,” the governor added.

The comments come as political parties begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 election cycle.