A coalition of 10 northern stakeholders, including a former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Attahiru Jega, has raised concerns about President Bola Tinubu’s firm grip on the National Assembly and the judiciary.

The coalition made the call in a joint statement issued on Monday, while expressing concern over the worsening security situation across the country.

It also accused Mr Tinubu of undermining key institutions, citing what it described as a lack of legislative and judicial independence under his administration.

The coalition said, “Our assessment of the state of the nation reveals that Nigeria stands at a dangerous crossroads where rising insecurity, an alarming level of electoral manipulation by government, and the weakening of democratic institutions are converging into a national crisis that threatens the country’s survival. 

“Nigeria faces a grave threat to its foundational constitutional principle of the separation of powers. Checks and balances between the branches of government have been imperilled. The legislative branch has been placed under near-total control of the executive branch. The judiciary appears to have lost both its independence and its integrity. 

“There are no checks on the powers of the executive, who now govern as they please without accountability or respect for the people’s concerns. Institutions have been compromised, weakened, and subordinated to the interests of the executive arm of government.”

Members of the coalition include a former Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari; an ex-House of Representatives member, Usman Bugaje; and a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud.

Others are Ambassador Fatima Balla, Husseini Abdu, Yahaya Hashim, Mohammed Kuna, Jibrin Ibrahim and Kabiru Yusuf.

Speaking further, the coalition highlighted that terrorism, arms trafficking and unconstitutional changes of government across many neighbouring countries had become rampant under Mr Tinubu’s administration.

They also noted that international cooperation, which the coalition said is an important aspect of tackling insecurity, has also regressed. 

“The spread of terrorism, arms trafficking, unconstitutional changes of government, and porous borders across countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger continue to intensify insecurity in Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad Basin. 

“The collapse of regional cooperation and democratic governance in parts of the Sahel further emboldens armed groups, weakens state authority, and undermines civilian protection across West Africa,” the coalition said. 

The coalition urged Mr Tinubu to implement urgent measures to reverse the dangerous course Nigeria is heading towards, including the re-establishment of relations between the Alliance of Sahel States and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the country’s national interest. 

“The government should immediately appoint a high-level special envoy for the Sahel to begin the urgent task of rebuilding trust between Nigeria, the AES and ECOWAS while revamping regional mechanisms for peace and security,” the coalition said. 

Additionally, the coalition demanded that the president engage with bodies such as the NBA, unions, and civil society organisations to ensure the neutrality of the judiciary is restored ahead of the 2027 general elections.