No Plot Against Opposition, Says Tinubu At Interfaith Meeting
By NJORIGE LYNUS
President Rejects One-Party State Allegations
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has dismissed claims that his administration is working to weaken opposition parties or steer Nigeria toward a one-party system.
Speaking Wednesday at an interfaith breakfast with senators at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Tinubu said criticism is part of political leadership, adding that accusations of suppressing opposition voices are unfounded.
“Critics will always talk and give you names,” he said. “When they accused me of killing the opposition, I didn’t have a gun. I could have even issued myself a licence, since I have the authority.”
His remarks come amid mounting allegations from opposition figures that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is exploiting internal divisions within rival parties to consolidate power.
Call for National Unity
The president said Nigeria’s security challenges — particularly terrorism and banditry — require unity rather than partisan conflict.
“What this country has faced in this difficult period has caused enormous damage,” Tinubu said. “We must pull together and unite as our forefathers envisioned to sustain constitutional democracy.”
He added that political defections should not be blamed on his administration. “I can’t blame anyone for jumping out of a sinking ship,” he remarked, in apparent reference to recent high-profile defections from opposition parties to the APC.
Major opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party, and New Nigeria People’s Party, have been grappling with internal crises in recent months.
Defence of Economic Reforms
Tinubu also used the occasion to defend his administration’s economic policies, describing them as bold and necessary steps to dismantle entrenched corruption, particularly in the fuel subsidy and foreign exchange systems.
“We are reformers together,” he told lawmakers. “What we stopped was monumental corruption in the subsidy regime. We do not want to be part of corruption or foreign-exchange arbitrage.”
According to the president, the reforms have helped stabilise the economy and positioned Nigeria for long-term recovery and growth.
“You don’t need to chase me for dollars; you can see where Nigeria is today,” he said. “We are enjoying a more stable economy, and prosperity is ahead of us.”
Opposition Pushback
Opposition leaders have accused the APC of fueling internal disputes within rival parties as part of a broader strategy to entrench dominance. Tinubu has repeatedly rejected the claims, insisting that political plurality remains essential to democracy.
He has instead urged opposition parties to resolve their internal challenges rather than blame the ruling party for their setbacks.
