President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has while denying his alleged intent to turn Nigeria into a “One Party State” in the course of his Democracy Day speech on 12th June, 2025, made case for politicians who could no longer remain in the opposition parties owing to the crises that had engulfed them; insisting that “one cannot blame anybody seeking to bail out of a sinking ship even without a life jacket.”
Mr Tinubu’s comments come amid repeated claims by opposition leaders and parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accusing the Tinubu administration and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), of stifling democracy and attempts to turn the country into a one-party state ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In its democracy day statement, the PDP repeated the allegations.
The statement, signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, called on Nigerians to stand against what it described as an alleged plot by President Bola Tinubu and the APC to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
The PDP asked Nigerians, democratic institutions, civil society, and global partners to speak out against the erosion of justice, the rule of law, credible elections, and citizens’ right to political participation in Nigeria.
However, President Bola Tinubu assured on Thursday that Nigeria will not become a one-party state. He said this while addressing a rising concern by opposition figures that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is turning the country into a one-party state.
Addressing a joint session of the National Assembly in commemoration of the Democracy Day, Mr Tinubu said doing that would be repeating the mistake of political overreach previously attempted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said: “The failed effort to create a one-party state (by the PDP) placed progressive political forces on a trajectory to form the APC. It put me on the trajectory which has brought me before you today. I dare not do such a favour to any political adversary by repeating the same mistake of political overreach.”
