President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has categorically denied claims that his administration and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are working to transform Nigeria into a one-party state. He stated that he would be the last person to endorse such a political direction.
Speaking during a special joint session of the National Assembly to commemorate the 2025 Democracy Day, President Tinubu addressed concerns raised by opposition parties and political observers who have expressed fears of democratic backsliding.
While reiterating that democracy thrives on healthy competition and vibrant opposition, Tinubu made it clear that he has no obligation to help rival parties resolve their internal divisions.
“It is my wish for the opposition to be in disarray. I cannot help them put their house in order,” the President said pointedly, drawing laughter from lawmakers present in the chamber.
Amid the controversy, Tinubu welcomed defectors from other parties into the APC, stating that the ruling party remains a broad-based political platform open to all Nigerians.
“You are all welcome to the progressive fold. Nobody should close the door. 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,” he said.
The President’s remarks come at a time when opposition figures and civil society groups have accused the APC of attempting to entrench its power by weakening rival parties. Some critics have gone as far as suggesting that the ruling party is fostering conditions that could lead to a de facto one-party system in the country.
But President Tinubu dismissed such fears as unfounded and emphasized that the APC is not afraid of either internal competition or political contestation from outside.
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“I will not say, try your best to put your house in order. I will not help you to do so, either,” he stated, reinforcing his earlier comments.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s journey since the return to civil rule in 1999, Tinubu praised the country’s democratic resilience, despite the many obstacles it has faced.
“I felt a sense of collective accomplishment when I realised how far we had come as a nation.
Democracy has risen from the ashes of military rule to reclaim its rightful place as the only acceptable form of governance for our resilient and beloved people,” he noted.
The President also paid glowing tribute to pro-democracy heroes who laid the foundation for Nigeria’s current democratic dispensation.
He particularly honoured the memory of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, widely believed to have won the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election.
“Let me pay tribute to my predecessor, President Muhammadu Buhari, for reaching back into history to rectify a national misdeed,” Tinubu said, acknowledging Buhari’s 2018 decision to declare June 12 as Democracy Day and posthumously bestow the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) on Abiola.
He also remembered other martyrs of the democratic struggle, including Kudirat Abiola and Pa Alfred Rewane.
“We must celebrate the courage of Kudirat Abiola and Pa Alfred Rewane, both of whom were murdered by agents of military repression. We remember the many civil rights activists, journalists, and politicians who were imprisoned, exiled, tossed aside, and beaten,” Tinubu added.
As part of his Democracy Day message, the President called for sustained cooperation between the legislative and executive arms of government, urging lawmakers to prioritize the interests of the Nigerian people above political differences.
“While we may not always agree, we must forge a way to work together, because this is what democracy demands of us,” he said.
Acknowledging that nation-building is a collective effort, Tinubu reminded lawmakers of the importance of unity and national service.
“Democracy is not perfect, but it is the best path we have chosen. And we must walk it together, sometimes in disagreement, but always in hope,” he stated.
