Sani Dawop, the 2027 Action Democratic Party (ADP) governorship candidate in Plateau State, has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the weakening of rival political parties in the country.

In an exclusive interview with BusinessDay, Sani Dawop, who is also the National Publicity Secretary of ADP, said that Tinubu was the product of opposition, and that it was very surprising that the same beneficiary of the democracy of opposition would want to kill opposition parties.

He reminded President Tinubu that Nigeria was bigger than any individual. He urged the president to write his name in gold by conducting a free, fair and credible election in 2027.

Sani commended the judiciary for answering its own name and saving Nigeria’s multi-party system’s democratic environment in the recent Court of Appeal judgement vacating the deregistration of ADC and other opposition parties, and allowing the freedom of association without anyone emasculating that right that the constitution has guaranteed.

“I have said it before that there cannot be democracy without an opposition. Once there is no opposition, that is not democracy. It is an authoritarian regime and fascism. We cannot afford to go into these or have these in Nigeria.

“We have always had confidence that the judiciary, at the right time, will stand to answer to its own name. And on this issue, I like to commend the Nigerian judiciary for allowing the freedom of association without anyone emasculating that right that the constitution has guaranteed.

“I keep saying that Tinubu is the product of opposition, and it is very surprising that the same beneficiary of the democracy of opposition would want to come and kill opposition parties.

“Nigeria is bigger than any individual. So, I salute the courage of Nigerians who have pushed for this. I salute the opposition. The opposition will be united, and Nigeria will be rescued. So, I salute Nigeria, and I salute Nigerians.

“We look forward to a free, fair and credible election in 2027. If President Tinubu does this, he will write his name in gold. But if he tries to rig the election, I am sorry, it will be very bad for Nigeria.

“We don’t hope that, and we don’t pray for that. We look forward to the peaceful transition in 2027,” he said.