President Bola Tinubu has refuted allegations that his administration is deliberately undermining opposition parties, insisting that recent defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress were voluntary and not the result of intimidation or misuse of state authority.
The President said critics were entitled to their views but maintained that he had not deployed government power to silence dissent or pressure political actors into switching allegiance.
His remarks come amid heightened debate over a wave of high-profile crossovers to the APC, developments that have triggered accusations that the political field is being tilted in favour of the governing party.
Tinubu spoke during an interfaith Iftar with senators at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he responded directly to claims that the opposition was being deliberately weakened.
“Critics must talk. When they accused me of killing the opposition, but I didn’t have a gun. I could have given myself a licence when I have the authority,” he said.
Rejecting suggestions of coercion, the President added, “But I can’t blame anybody for jumping out of a sinking ship if they did,” attributing the defections to internal challenges within rival parties rather than external pressure.
He also referenced the country’s security situation, stating, “What we have faced in the challenging period of this country, the terrorism and banditry, is causing us havoc,” as part of the broader national strain.
Calling for bipartisan cooperation, Tinubu said, “And we should pull together, unite in a way that our forefathers contemplated to bring about a constitutional democracy and pull us together. They didn’t say we should fight. It’s a good thing that we are working in harmony,” urging leaders across party lines to prioritise stability and cohesion.