Amina Mansur
Segun Sowunmi, a prominent chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has expressed concerns that Nigeria risks becoming a one-party state under the All Progressives Congress (APC) if the ongoing tensions between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, are not resolved swiftly.
Speaking during an appearance on Politics today, Sowunmi underscored the importance of mediation to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic principles and prevent potential political instability.
“The APC needs to reflect on whether it is truly functioning as a political party, despite being in government,” Sowunmi remarked.
He called for immediate intervention in the Wike-Fubara feud, emphasizing that the situation could escalate and further undermine the democratic process in Nigeria.
“There is a risk of Nigeria’s democracy evolving into a one-party system if timely mediation is not applied to the Wike-Fubara dispute,” Sowunmi warned.
He further pointed out the contrast between the PDP’s internal democratic processes and what he described as the APC’s lack of structure.
Sowunmi mentioned that the PDP had just conducted congresses across the country, while the APC had seemingly avoided such democratic engagements.
“The PDP strives to uphold democratic principles where people express their opinions and seek redress in court. However, the APC appears to be more of a special-purpose vehicle for elections, not a fully functioning political party,” Sowunmi concluded.