Gale of Defections: Nigeria Not Drifting to One Party State

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has dismissed mounting speculation that Nigeria may be drifting towards a one-party state, asserting that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, is merely gaining momentum due to its performance and reform-driven leadership under President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking to journalists at the State House following a meeting with the President, Governor Sule emphasised that dominance by a single political party does not equate to the demise of political pluralism.

“There is no way we can be a one-party state. No matter what happens, there are people who are going to be in another party. Actually, we don’t even want Nigeria to be a one-party state, we just want to be the dominant party,” he declared.

Sule acknowledged the APC’s growing appeal across the country, attributing it to tangible reforms implemented by President Tinubu in various sectors, particularly the economy and agriculture.

He contended that Nigerians returning to APC or defecting from opposition parties were doing so not under political pressure, but because they were inspired by the administration’s policies and accomplishments.

According to him, “It’s a reflection of the performance of our party and the performance of Mr. President. We’ve seen reforms in the unification of exchange rates, the removal of fuel subsidies, and now in the power sector. What is even more impressive is the focus on skill acquisition and agriculture. These are real reforms that matter to the people.”

Governor Sule underscored that in a democracy, all political parties aspire to be dominant and to win elections, but this does not negate the presence or potential of other parties.