President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rejected claims that he is working to weaken opposition parties, declaring that he cannot be blamed for internal crises rocking rival political platforms.
Speaking on Wednesday at an interfaith breakfast with senators at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Tinubu addressed growing accusations that his administration is steering Nigeria towards a one-party state.
“What they call you, any name, any nickname, critics must talk,” the president said. “When they accused me of killing opposition, I didn’t have a gun. I could have given myself a licence seeing as I have the authority.”
His remarks come amid a wave of defections from opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), prompting speculation about the future of multi-party competition in the country.
Tinubu dismissed suggestions that the APC is orchestrating instability within rival parties. Instead, he said opposition groups must confront their own internal divisions.
“I can’t blame anybody for jumping out of a sinking ship,” he said, in a pointed reference to defections. The comment underscored his view that political realignments are driven by survival instincts rather than coercion.
Nigeria’s opposition landscape has been unsettled in recent months. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) have all faced leadership disputes and factional tensions. Tinubu argued that these internal struggles cannot be attributed to the presidency.
Beyond politics, the president used the occasion to reflect on the country’s security and economic challenges. He acknowledged that terrorism and banditry continue to strain national stability, describing them as threats that require unity rather than division.
On the economy, Tinubu defended his reform agenda, including the removal of the fuel subsidy and changes to the foreign exchange regime. He said the measures, though painful at the outset, are laying the groundwork for long-term recovery.
Read related news from New Daily Prime:
Kogi state hails Tinubu’s commitment to state police as “generational reform”
Tinubu urges Senate to amend constitution for creation of state police
Tinubu denies one-party agenda
“We are reformists together,” he told lawmakers, crediting the National Assembly for supporting the administration’s policy direction. According to him, curbing fuel subsidy payments and ending foreign exchange arbitrage have improved transparency and reduced systemic leakages.
The president insisted that Nigeria is on a firmer footing, pointing to signs of macroeconomic stabilisation. “You don’t have to chase me for dollars; you can see what Nigeria is today,” he said. “You should be proud of this great moment.”
Tinubu’s remarks mark one of his clearest responses yet to accusations that his government is shrinking the political space. By framing defections as voluntary decisions by politicians seeking safer ground, he sought to distance his administration from the turbulence within opposition ranks.
For now, the debate continues. While critics warn of creeping dominance by the ruling party, the president maintains that democratic competition remains intact — and that opposition parties must put their own houses in order.
