Nigeria’s Opposition Waned Since 2023 – Ex IPAC Chairman

A former chairman of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Enugu State, Barrister John Nwobodo, declared yesterday that opposition has seriously waned in Nigeria since 2023.

Although he described President Bola Tinubu as a detribalised leader, who has been carrying every section of the country along, he however, said part of the reasons why there has not been vibrant opposition since 2023 was lack of faith in the judicial process.

The Accord Party chieftain, who spoke in an exclusive interview with our correspondent, pointed out that people now believe that they are struggling for nothing because the institutions that should serve as a bridges and moderators are not doing what they are supposed

Apart from the judicial process, Nwobodo said people were of the view that those that don’t have the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies are not stakeholders.

“Opposition has waned down in Nigeria since 2023 till now, we have not seen the opposition give vibrant criticism of government policies and programmes” he stated.

Explaining further, Nwobodo expressed dissatisfaction over what described as transactional politics in the country.

He claimed that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which is the main opposition party in the country has failed to keep the government on its toes because of transactional politics.

“There is no cohesion in the structure of the PDP both at the national and state levels, as a leading opposition party, we expect them to keep the government on its toes but they have not been able to do that because of transactional politics” he stated.

He, however, expressed satisfaction over the role Accord Party has been playing in Enugu State, noting that the party has been consistent in challenging policies it regards as unconstitutional.

The former IPAC chairman in the state noted that it was only his party that went to court and tribunal after the last local government election in the state.

He commended the president for visiting Enugu early this year to commission some projects, stating his visit was a welcomed development.