President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed satisfaction at the internal crises plaguing Nigeria’s major opposition parties, stating it is a “pleasure to witness them in such disarray”, even as he dismissed fears of the country drifting toward a one-party State.
Addressing a joint session of the 10th National Assembly during the 2025 Democracy Day celebrations, the President used the occasion to both welcome new defectors into the ruling All-Progressives Congress (APC) and take a jab at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), which have been rocked by high-profile defections and internal divisions.
“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”, Tinubu remarked pointedly, adding that: “For me, I will not say: ‘try your best to put your house in order’. I will not help you to do so, either. It is indeed a pleasure to witness you in such disarray”.
Amid applause from lawmakers and party loyalists, Tinubu extended a warm welcome to recent defectors, including governors and legislators from Delta and Akwa Ibom states, led by Sheriff Oborevwori and Umo Eno.
In response to critics suggesting that the APC is engineering a one-party state, Tinubu pushed back firmly, calling such claims unfounded and rooted in political panic.
Recalling his resistance during the 2003 elections, when the then-dominant ruling party attempted to silence the opposition, Tinubu said: “I was the last of the progressive governors standing in my region. My allies had been induced into defeat. My adversaries held all the cards… Yet, they could not control our national destiny. A greater power did not want Nigeria to become a one-party state back then. Nigeria will not become such a state now”.
Mocking opposition claims of poaching and coercion, the President said, “We can’t be blamed for seeking to bail people out of a sinking ship, even without a life jacket”.
In conclusion, Tinubu emphasised that while political competition remains vital, it must be grounded in responsibility and self-reflection.
