Former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said that President Bola Tinubu and Nigeria’s opposition parties share common ground on maintaining a multi-party democracy.
Saraki was responding to Tinubu’s recent remarks at the National Assembly, where the President dismissed allegations that his administration is pushing Nigeria toward becoming a one-party state. The concerns arose following a wave of defections from opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which critics claimed signaled a move toward political dominance.
Some defectors have cited internal crises within their former parties as the reason for their switch to the APC. However, President Tinubu, addressing lawmakers on Wednesday, firmly rejected the claims of an orchestrated plan to eliminate opposition.
“To those who ring the alarm that the APC is intent on a one-party state, I offer you a most personal promise. While your alarm may be driven by panic, it rings in error,” Tinubu said.
He also acknowledged the current disarray within the opposition, stating, “I am happy they are in disarray, but I won’t help them fix it.”
Speaking to journalists shortly after Tinubu’s address, Saraki urged all political actors to take the President at his word.
“We must take him at his word—he spoke well in saying he is not for a one-party state. That means we’re all aligned on supporting a healthy, multi-party democracy,” Saraki stated.
“As members of the PDP, we embrace this position. That’s why we’re making efforts to reunite our ranks. There’s no pressure from anywhere—everyone just needs to put their house in order.
“The President has made it clear he won’t intervene in our affairs, so it’s up to us in the opposition to reorganize and strengthen ourselves.”
