The Presidency has refuted the assertion that President Tinubu is driving Nigeria to a one-party state, stating that the recent defections of opposition politicians to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were voluntary and not under any form of duress.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Sunday.
He insisted that democracy is not under threat or undermined “simply because politicians exercise their rights of association.”
“Nigerians migrating to the APC and expressing support for Tinubu are doing so out of their free will, based on the belief that the reforms being executed are in the interest of Nigerians and the unborn generation,” Onanuga said.
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, and former spokesperson of Former Vice President Namadi Sambo, Umar Sani, on Sunday accused President Bola Tinubu of perfecting state capture and driving Nigeria to a one-party state.
He also accused President Tinubu of capturing the judiciary, through appointments of loyalists to the highest positions in the third arm of government.
The PDP loyalist also added that the President was responsible for crises in opposition parties and coercing opposition politicians into joining the ruling party.
This is coming after last Wednesday’s defection of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, Deputy Governor, Monday Onyeme, commissioners, local government chairmen, among others.
The defection of Okowa, who was PDP’s presidential running mate in the last election, and others further depletes the main opposition party.
The other opposition parties, the Labour Party and the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), are also grappling with internal crises, leaving observers to wonder if they could challenge the ruling party in 2027.
Onanuga in his statement said the opposition cannot blame President Tinubu and the governing APC for their poor organisation, indiscipline, and gross incompetence in managing their affairs.
“We find it curious that those who celebrated the defection of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the formation of a regional grand coalition with the sole aim of defeating President Tinubu in the 2027 election are the same people shedding crocodile tears over Nigeria’s so-called drift to a one-party state and authoritarianism.” He wrote.
Onanuga maintained that under Tinubu, democracy is strong, and the multiparty democratic system will continue to flourish unhindered.
“We want to state that democracy is not threatened or undermined simply because politicians exercise their rights to freedom of association.”
“His administration remains resolutely committed to upholding and strengthening the democratic foundations upon which our Fourth Republic has stood since 1999. Politicians changing party affiliation is not new or peculiar to Nigeria.” he said.
While we must agree that politicians have the free will to choose and associate with any political party of their choice, the mass defection of politicians to the ruling party at a time when coalitions are on for the 2027 elections, is there more to the defections than meets the eye?
