President Bola Tinubu has fired back at opposition parties, telling them to stop blaming him for their failures and instead focus on fixing their internal crises.
In a statement released on Sunday by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu made it clear that the ongoing wave of defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not a threat to democracy, but a natural part of political life — both in Nigeria and globally.
The President stressed that accusations of steering the country toward authoritarianism were baseless and exaggerated, insisting that democracy in Nigeria remains vibrant and strong.
“We have read the alarming claims of disgruntled opposition figures, some partisan human rights crusaders and emergency defenders of democracy over recent defections of key members of opposition parties into the governing All Progressives Congress,” the statement read.
Highlighting the crisis within the opposition, Tinubu noted that the APC’s growing strength — following defections by figures like Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and former PDP vice presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa — had clearly unsettled the rival parties.
“The seismic shift caused by Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno’s open declaration of support for President Bola Tinubu, the defection of the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, the former vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last election, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, and the principal political actors in Delta and Rivers States certainly threw the opposition and their sympathisers into disarray,” the statement added.
Taking a swipe at the critics, Tinubu said while some celebrated the defection of former Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), they hypocritically condemned others joining the APC.
“We find it curious that those who celebrated the defection of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the formation of a regional grand coalition with the sole aim of defeating President Tinubu in the 2027 election are the same people shedding crocodile tears over Nigeria’s so-called drift to a one-party state and authoritarianism,” the statement noted.
He continued, “While the latter-day defenders of democracy raised no anxious voice against the disgruntled politicians cobbling an anti-Tinubu, anti-APC coalition along dangerous regional lines, even before INEC blows the whistle for party politicking, they are quick to ascribe the political shifts in some states to ‘bribery, blackmail, and coercion’ without any shred of evidence.”
Dismissing fears of authoritarianism, Tinubu emphasized that no government policy, action, or directive is designed to weaken democracy or opposition parties.
“Contrary to the false claims in the propaganda materials in circulation across mainstream and social media, democracy is not under any threat in Nigeria. Accusations that the administration is moving towards authoritarianism are baseless and exaggerated.
“We must add that no policy, official action, or directive from the Presidency seeks to ‘dismantle democracy’ or ‘weaken opposition or create a one-party state.’ Accusations of bribery, blackmail, and the weaponisation of state institutions only exist in the idle minds of politicians and their agents who have failed in their assigned role of opposition and are fishing for scapegoats.”
Onanuga, on behalf of Tinubu, pointed out that the administration has no role in organising or strengthening opposition parties.
“The opposition cannot blame President Tinubu and the governing APC for their poor organisation, indiscipline, and gross incompetence in managing their affairs. It is certainly not part of President Tinubu’s job to organise or strengthen opposition parties,” the statement said.
The Presidency also rejected claims that rising defections were being orchestrated through coercion.
“Without any equivocation, freedom of association, freedom of speech and freedom of choice are part of the cherished ideals of democracy. When politicians and citizens cannot freely join any association or political party of their choice or cannot openly express their views, democracy is imperilled.
“Those opposed to the Tinubu administration should understand that they can issue diatribes, without fear, against the government because we practice a thriving democracy.”
The statement condemned what it called the hypocrisy of opposition figures and their allies in the human rights movement.
“It is hypocrisy writ large when opposition politicians and their collaborators in the ‘human rights’ movement desire that the party of the President should implode so they can gain electoral advantage and cry wolf when their wish does not materialise.”
He added that Nigerians defecting to APC are doing so freely, motivated by faith in Tinubu’s reforms.
“Nigerians migrating to the APC and expressing support for Tinubu are doing so out of their free will, based on the belief that the reforms being executed are in the interest of Nigerians and the unborn generation.”
The statement assured Nigerians that under Tinubu’s leadership, democracy is not just surviving but flourishing.
“President Tinubu is an avowed democrat and a firm believer in multiparty democracy. His political activism and democratic credentials in galvanising and strengthening opposition platforms as a force that defeated a sitting President and the then ruling party attest to his credibility as a tested defender of multiparty democracy.”
It called on citizens to support the government’s efforts and avoid being misled by what it termed alarmists.
“His administration remains resolutely committed to upholding and strengthening the democratic foundations upon which our Fourth Republic has stood since 1999.”
