Senator Ajibola Basiru, the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has rejected claims that the ruling party is steering Nigeria towards a one-party system. Speaking on Wednesday’s edition of Politics Today on Channels Television, Basiru vigorously defended the APC’s activities and dismissed accusations that the government is using state power to intimidate opposition parties.
The statements came in response to the recent high-profile defections in Delta State, where Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his deputy Monday Onyeme, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and several other prominent figures switched allegiance from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC. Basiru was asked whether these defections suggested a growing dominance of the ruling party, leading to a one-party state.
“How can we turn Nigeria into a one-party state?” Basiru asked rhetorically. “The country is not our making. The policies of the country are not our making. The real problem with Nigeria is that we don’t have serious opposition parties. You cannot expect the ruling party to perform the role of the opposition.”
The APC National Secretary further challenged the media, urging journalists to scrutinize the opposition’s lack of activity compared to the APC’s ongoing efforts to build a grassroots party structure. “Go around the headquarters of all other political parties and see if you find any activity going on,” he said. He emphasized that one of the APC’s core goals under the leadership of Abdullahi Ganduje is to establish a functional party presence in every Nigerian ward, local government, and state.
Basiru drew from the APC’s past experience, recalling that the party had remained politically active during its time in opposition. He cited Bola Tinubu, who emerged as the only surviving governor from the Southwest after the 2003 elections, despite facing multiple investigations, including by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). “When we were in opposition, we maintained our vigour, even under intense pressure,” Basiru remarked.
Responding to accusations of state-sponsored intimidation of opposition members, Basiru invoked the words of the late African revolutionary Amílcar Cabral, “Tell no lie, claim no easy victory.” He explained that opposition parties must stop blaming the ruling party for their own shortcomings. Basiru also pointed to recent defections as evidence of the party’s growing influence, noting that members from several opposition parties, including the Labour Party, Social Democratic Party (SDP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), had joined the APC without facing any legal or security repercussions.
As for the Delta defections, Basiru argued that they highlight the APC’s increasing reach and the opposition’s growing anxiety. He claimed that the opposition’s alarm over these defections reflected the strategic importance of Delta State in national politics. “Two weeks ago, I was in Agbor when the Delta Unity Group, led by the chairman of the NDDC, joined the APC. The uproar this has caused is because the opposition knows how vital Delta is to their political ambitions,” Basiru said.
Asked if the defections were coerced, Basiru responded firmly, stating, “President Tinubu will not coerce anyone. He is a democrat at heart.” The APC’s increasing number of defections, Basiru believes, is a sign of the party’s continued success in expanding its political base across the nation.