During his Democracy Day address to the National Assembly, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took time out to shut down a rumor that’s been following him around lately which is the idea that the APC is trying to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
The president didn’t dodge the issue as he answered with a personal, unapologetic response.
“While your alarm may be as a result of your panic, it rings in error,” he said. “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.”
In 2003, when the ruling party at the time tried to erase opposition from the political map, Tinubu stood against this decision. Every other progressive governor in the South-West had been swept aside, some seduced, others crushed. However, he held his ground. Now, with the weight of the presidency behind him, Tinubu replied to these allegations.
“ I’ve seen this before. I stood against it then. Why would I become it now?
“They boasted of ruling Nigeria for the next half century or more. Where are they now?”
That memory isn’t just political, it’s personal. He reminded everyone that those who tried to force a one-party system into existence back then failed. Not because of luck, but because Nigeria isn’t wired for dictatorship.
Tinubu’s words rings true with the self-awareness behind them. He acknowledges the power of his office. He knows eyes are on him, still, he refuses to make the same mistake those before him made.
“I dare not do such a favour to any political adversary by repeating the same mistake of political overreach.”
He didn’t stop there. Tinubu addressed the movement of politicians into the APC the source of the ‘one-party state’ chatter. His responsed.
“People have the right to jump ship, especially when the ship they’re on is sinking. That’s not a conspiracy. That’s political gravity. “We cannot blame anybody seeking to bail out of a sinking ship even without a life jacket.” When some opposition parties cry foul over defections, Tinubu replied.
“Political parties fearful of members leaving may be better served by examining their internal processes… 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.”
Tinubu explained that he isn’t shutting the door on competition. Far from it. He says Nigeria should never eliminate political diversity, because our democracy depends on it. He calls for unity across political divides, especially when it comes to development. “Our efforts must never be to eliminate political competition but to make that competition salutary to the national well-being.”
For the president, power must be earned, not forced. Political growth must be invited, not strangled. While competition, no matter how heated, must serve the people, not personal ambition. Tinubu reassures Nigerians that he isn’t building a monopoly but a legacy, one that refuses to repeat the failures of those who came before.
