Lauretta Onochie, former media aide to late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has challenged President Bola Tinubu not to try the resolve of Nigerians to defend the country’s democracy.
Onochie made the remark while accusing Tinubu’s administration of a calculated attempt to weaken democratic plurality through intimidation, engineered division, and the manipulation of processes.
Posting on her X page, she wrote: “We Are In Charge. We Will Defend Our Democracy. In moments like this, when pressure mounts and the path ahead seems deliberately clouded, it is important to remember what truly anchors us: the will of the Nigerian people.
“What we are witnessing is not politics as usual. It is a calculated attempt to weaken democratic plurality through intimidation, engineered division, and the manipulation of processes that should remain neutral.
“When institutions hesitate in matters that are clear, and when internal party issues are stretched into prolonged uncertainty, it raises serious questions about whose interests are being served.
“Political intimidation, strategic distractions, and delayed processes are not new tactics. They are tools often deployed when clueless ideas cannot compete on equal footing with sound ideological minds.
“But history consistently shows that no amount of manipulation can permanently silence a people determined to shape their own destiny. And that is the point where we have arrived.
“To everyone standing firm within the opposition Coalition—this is not the time to waver. It is the time to deepen resolve. Stay focused, stay united, and refuse to be provoked into actions that fracture our collective strength. It is not the time to build camps within the Coalition. It is the time to build and solidify the Coalition
“The goal of those who fear a vibrant opposition is division; your greatest response is discipline and cohesion. We must respect one another and our diversity so we can collectively, tackle the leeches sucking our nation dry.
“Hold the line. Stay resolute. Nigeria will outlast every attempt to undermine it. President Tinubu, Dont try our resolve. We are all standing by our doors. You can’t stop Nigerians who are determined to save their hard-earned democracy. You cannot.”
