The Coalition to Protect and Defend Our Democracy (COPDEM), in collaboration with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has raised serious concerns over what it described as a creeping erosion of Nigeria’s democratic foundations.
Speaking at a world press conference held on Monday, May 5, 2025, at the ADC Global Headquarters in Abuja, the National Chairman of COPDEM and Director-General of the ADC Directorate for Mobilisation, Civil Societies & Progressives Engagements, Rwang Pam Jnr, warned that Nigeria’s democracy was under siege.
Addressing members of the press, Mr. Pam said the nation was at a critical crossroads, facing an urgent threat of descent into authoritarianism if citizens failed to act decisively ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The soul of Nigeria’s democracy is under siege, and unless we rise united and resolute to reclaim it, we may soon find ourselves in an irreversible state of tyranny,” he declared.
Pam condemned the ongoing wave of mass defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), described it as a deliberate attempt to convert Nigeria into a de facto one-party state. He said this trend, along with electoral irregularities and the neutralization of opposition parties, had dangerously undermined the multiparty system that forms the bedrock of the country’s democratic governance.
According to him, both the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) have failed to provide credible opposition, leaving a vacuum in Nigeria’s democratic structure.
“What we are witnessing is not politics as usual this is the slow, systematic destruction of the pillars of democratic governance,” he noted.
Pam cited the political crisis in Rivers State as a clear example of constitutional collapse, where the local government system has been crippled and legislative independence eroded. He warned that if such practices are normalized, Nigeria risks adopting martial law in disguise.
In a passionate call to action, COPDEM and ADC urged Nigerians across all regions and backgrounds from students and professionals to market women and artisans to rise and reclaim their country.
Recognizing the constitutional requirement that only political parties can sponsor candidates, Pam announced that the ADC had taken a historic step by amending its constitution to open its doors fully to all Nigerians. He revealed that at its National Executive Committee meeting on March 27, 2025, the party adopted changes to Article 9, allowing any Nigerian who joins the ADC to immediately become eligible to vote, contest for office, and hold party leadership positions including the presidency.
“This is a seismic shift in Nigerian politics. It means the power has returned to the people,” he declared.
Calling ADC the “solution party,” Pam invited disenfranchised citizens to join a new people-powered political movement that prioritizes inclusion, transparency, and national unity.
He warned that without mass participation and resistance, the 2027 elections could amount to nothing more than a coronation, not a contest.
“If we fail to act now, the 2027 elections will be a coronation not a competition. We will have lost the last vestiges of democracy,” he stated.
The coalition emphasized that their struggle is not about personalities but about preserving the purpose of the republic. According to COPDEM, a vibrant, citizen-powered opposition would bring about stronger checks and balances, spur policy innovation, boost investor confidence, and promote national cohesion.
Pam concluded by calling on the media, civil society, religious leaders, and the Nigerian Diaspora to play their part in safeguarding the nation’s democratic future.
“Let it be said, when the darkness of tyranny loomed, you took a stand… Because you have a role to play in the salvation of this nation,” he said.
The event closed with renewed appeals for unity and action ahead of the 2027 general elections.
