PDP Governors Accuse FG of Intimidation as Presidency, APC Dismiss Allegations

Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have accused the Federal Government of orchestrating intimidation and employing anti-democratic tactics during the just-concluded August 9 by-elections. The exercise, which was conducted to fill vacant senatorial and House of Representatives seats, was marred by allegations of vote-buying, violence and low voter turnout. At the end of the polls, the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured victories in 12 constituencies while the PDP managed just one.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) won two seats and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) clinched one. Opposition parties, including the African Democratic Congress and the NNPP, rejected the outcome, accusing the APC of using “federal might” to tilt the process in its favour.

In a communiqué issued after their meeting in Gusau, Zamfara State, the PDP Governors’ Forum alleged over-militarisation of the electoral process, widespread irregularities, and voter intimidation. The governors thanked party members for their resilience, describing the situation as evidence of the ruling party’s desperation and lack of vision. They urged Nigerians to remain steadfast, insisting that the PDP remained the best alternative to restore affordable living and security once enjoyed under its administration.

However, the Presidency swiftly dismissed the accusations as baseless. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, argued that the opposition had no evidence of intimidation, stressing that the elections were free and fair. Similarly, APC leaders maintained that the results reflected the party’s strength and the confidence Nigerians continue to place in President Bola Tinubu. APC Forum Chairman in the North-Central, Saleh Zazzaga, mocked the PDP as divided and weakened, insisting that the by-elections were a “testing ground” for the party’s dominance ahead of 2027.