***Says infighting and personal greed weakening opposition more than APC interference
***Calls for patriotic, united front to rescue Nigeria’s democracy
The Labour Party (LP) has issued a passionate call to opposition politicians across the country to set aside personal ambition, greed, and internal rivalries, and unite to offer Nigerians a credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking at the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Global Award and Dinner Night held in Abuja on Monday, LP’s Acting National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, said that while the APC has undoubtedly deployed state power to sabotage opposition voices, the greater threat lies within – in the ego, division, and self-interest plaguing the opposition camp.
Represented by her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Eluma Asogwa, Senator Usman warned that no ruling party can successfully suppress a united, visionary opposition driven by patriotism and shared purpose.
“Let me be brutally honest: while APC’s interference is real, it is not the only enemy. The opposition has too often been complicit in its own downfall. Personal ambition, internal betrayal, and the lust for quick power have made us vulnerable,” she said.
“No amount of sabotage from outside can break us if we are not already breaking from within. It is time to stop acting like victims and start behaving like visionaries.”
The LP leader said Nigerians are not looking for another party that will replicate the failures of the APC but for a coalition of leaders ready to put the nation first, even at personal cost.
“It does this country no good to have a political system where one party dominates unchecked. Democracy cannot survive without a strong, united opposition that offers more than noise – one that offers hope,” she said.
She added that “when our leaders put Nigeria above ego, ambition, and political games, no ruling party can defeat that.”
Calling on all opposition parties – from the PDP to ADC and others – Senator Usman urged them to rally around shared values, policy ideas, and the desire to offer practical solutions to the challenges of insecurity, inflation, unemployment, and inequality.
“Our task is not just to criticize. Our task is to inspire. We must come armed with real solutions and speak not just to the frustrations of Nigerians, but to their hopes,” she said.
She cited global examples where opposition coalitions have rescued fragile democracies, warning that Nigeria risks becoming a one-party state unless the opposition wakes up to its historic responsibility.
“Even the APC should be wise enough to know that democracy dies not with a bang but with the silence of dissent. The legitimacy of the entire system collapses when there are no real alternatives left.”
Drawing inspiration from global statesmen, Senator Usman quoted Nelson Mandela:
“A strong democracy needs a strong opposition – because only through scrutiny, criticism, and open debate can a government serve its people well.”
She also echoed former U.S. President Barack Obama’s words:
“The role of an opposition party is not simply to oppose, but to hold the government accountable, to challenge ideas, and to propose better ones.”
“Not just slogans, but substance. Not just ambition, but action,” she concluded.
The Labour Party’s message marked a growing push for a reset in Nigeria’s political opposition, focusing not only on confronting the APC, but on rebuilding itself as a moral and visionary force capable of transforming the country’s future.
