President Bola Tinubu on Thursday took a dig at governors and other members of the opposition trooping into the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC referencing how in 2003, when the then-governing party (PDP) tried “to sweep the nation clean of political opposition through plot and manipulation, I was the last of the progressive governors standing in my region (South-West).
Newsmata.com.ng reports that several opposition governors, the most recent being Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State and his Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Umo Eno, defected to the ruling APC with most of the members of their cabinets citing crises in their party. Several federal lawmakers had also dumped the PDP and Labour Party for the same reason.
Governor Oborevwori had defected with his predecessor and former vice-presidential candidate of the PDP in 2023, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa with all members of the state House of Assembly and elected local government chairmen and councillors.
In his address to the joint session of the National Assembly in commemoration of the 2025 Democracy Day, President Tinubu, who sought the indulgence of the federal lawmakers to address what he called a “terrible rumour” of an attempt to turn Nigeria into a one-party State, chided that “In all their numbers and false grandeur, they boasted of ruling, not governing, Nigeria for the next half century or more. Where are they now?
“Yet, I stood alone. My allies had been induced into defeat. My adversaries held all the cards that mortal man could carry. Even with all of that, they could not control our national destiny because fate is written from above. A greater power did not want Nigeria to become a one-party State back then. Nigeria will not become such a State now”.
According to President Tinubu, “The failed effort to create a one-party State 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. A one-party state is not in the offing. Nor should it ever be”.
And to those “who ring the alarm that the APC is intent on a one-party State”, the former NADECO chieftain said, “I offer you a most personal promise. While your alarm may be as a result of your panic, it rings in error. 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”.
Mocking leaders of the opposition who accuse the ruling party of fueling crises in their parties, President Tinubu contended that “I have never attempted to alter any political party registration with INEC. Equally, my friends, we cannot blame anybody seeking to bail out of a sinking ship even without a life jacket”.
Assuring that a one-party State is not in the offing, “nor should it ever be”, Tinubu remarked snidely that “we would be guilty of political malpractice if we closed the door on those from other parties who now seek to join the APC, and I sincerely welcome our party’s newest members from Delta and Akwa Ibom States led by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Pastor Umo Eno and other members of this National Assembly.
“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. For me, I would say 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”.
On a conciliatory note, President Tinubu however posited that “We must welcome and accept the diversity and number of political parties just as we welcome and embrace the diversity of our population”, emphasising that “Our efforts must never be to eliminate political competition but to make that competition salutary to the national well-being by working across the political aisle whenever possible”.
At the event, President Tinubu conferred national honours on living and late heroes/heroines of the June 12 democratic struggle, including Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the late winner of the annulled election who bagged a post-humous award of Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR. Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka was conferred with the award of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON.
Vanguard newspapers publisher, Sam Amuka who clocks 90 on Friday June 13 was awarded the national honour of the Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON, alongside Dare Babarinsa, Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesman and seasoned journalist and Nosa Igiebor, President of the TELL Communications, who was awarded the Officer of the Order of the Niger, OON, among others.