President Bola Tinubu has dismissed suggestions that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is working towards a one-party state, insisting that credible opposition remains vital to Nigeria’s democratic development.
Speaking on Friday night at the APC’s 4th Elective National Convention at Eagle Square, the Tinubu said democracy could only thrive where there is healthy political competition capable of scrutinising government policy and performance.
Tinubu’s response come against the backdrop of a wave of defections to the ruling party, including governors, senators and members of the House of Representatives, which has fuelled questions among opposition parties about weakening institutional checks.
“We do not seek a one-party state. Democracy thrives on vibrant and healthy competition. A credible opposition helps to challenge, question and refine policies. That is how statecraft improves and nations advance,” the President told delegates.
While acknowledging the scale of recent defections, Tinubu described the development as a reflection of growing public confidence in the APC’s ideology and leadership rather than a deliberate effort to marginalise rival parties.
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He urged party leaders to continue expanding the APC’s structure through what he called credible leadership and transparent management, supported by a verifiable national membership database.
The President also drew a distinction between constructive criticism and what he characterised as persistent misrepresentation of the party’s intentions, particularly regarding ongoing debates around the Electoral Act.
Tinubu stressed that the APC was founded as a platform for national transformation, not merely as a vehicle for winning elections, adding that it should remain open to Nigerians committed to effective governance and institutional reform.
He cautioned party members against internal divisions, warning that political organisations often fail when personal ambition overtakes discipline and shared ideology.
Political parties, he said, collapse not only through electoral defeat but when individual interests undermine collective purpose.