President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has denied claims by opposition parties in the country that he has the intention of turning Nigeria into a one-party state where only the APC will exist and govern.
The President made this known in his democracy day speech which was also posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday.
He said “To those who ring the alarm that the APC is intent on a one-party state, I offer you a most personal promise. While your alarm may be as a result of your panic, it rings in error.
“At no time in the past, nor any instance in the present, and at no future juncture shall I view the notion of a one-party state as good for Nigeria. I have never attempted to alter any political party registration with INEC. Equally, my friends, we cannot blame anybody seeking to bail out of a sinking ship even without a life jacket.
President Tinubu talked about his history as an opposition leader in Nigeria and how his experience during that period played a pivotal role in developing the country’s democracy. He added that he will not be in support of turning the country into a one-party state during his own tenure.
“Look at my political history. I would be the last person to advocate such a scheme. In 2003, when the then-governing party tried to sweep the nation clean of political opposition through plot and manipulation, I was the last of the progressive governors standing in my region. In all their numbers and false grandeur, they boasted of ruling, not governing, Nigeria for the next half century or more. Where are they now?
“Yet, I stood alone. My allies had been induced into defeat. My adversaries held all the cards that mortal man could carry. Even with all of that, they could not control our national destiny because fate is written from the above. A greater power did not want Nigeria to become a one-party state back then. Nigeria will not become such a state now.”
He urged opposition parties to take care of their internal issues which are responsible for the migration to the All Progressives Congress (APC) instead of than claiming that he wants to turn the country into a one-party state.
“Political parties fearful of members leaving may be better served by examining their internal processes and affairs rather than fearfully conjuring up demons that do not exist. For me, I would say try your best to put your house in order. I will not help you do so.
“It is, indeed, a pleasure to witness you in such disarray. Our efforts must never be to eliminate political competition but to make that competition salutary to the national well-being by working across the political aisle whenever possible.”
