President Bola Tinubu has described an insinuation that he was planning to turn Nigeria into a one-party state as a terrible rumour that is very far from reality.
The president stated this in his reaction to an allegation that he and the All Progressives Congress (APC) were planning to turn the country into a one-party state.
The allegation was coming in the wake of the gale of defections of politicians from other political parties to the ruling APC.
President Tinubu, in his address at the joint session of the National Assembly in commemoration of the 2025 Democracy Day, declared that the insinuation of Nigeria becoming a one-party state was far from the reality.
“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,” the president said.
Tracing his own political history, Tinubu declared that he would be the last person to advocate or scheme to turn the country to a one-party state.
“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 above. A greater power did not want Nigeria to become a one-party state back then. Nigeria will not become such a state now.
“The failed effort to create a one-party state placed progressive political forces on a trajectory to form the APC.
“It put me on the trajectory which has brought me before you today. I dare not do such a favour to any political adversary by repeating the same mistake of political overreach.
“A one-party state is not in the offing. Nor should it ever be,” the president further assured.
He however averred that he and his political associates would be guilty of political malpractice of they closed the against those from other political parties seeking to join APC.
He added: “I sincerely welcome our party’s newest members from Delta and Akwa Ibom States led by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Pastor Umo Eno and other members of this National Assembly.”
President Tinubu however threw a jab at the opposition as he said: “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.
“We must welcome and accept the diversity and number of political parties just as we welcome and embrace the diversity of our population.
“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.”
