President Bola Tinubu has called on opposition parties to stop blaming him for their internal crises, insisting that democracy in Nigeria remains strong and unthreatened under his leadership.

In a statement released on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu described the recent concerns raised by opposition figures over defections into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as baseless and exaggerated. He emphasized that political realignments are a normal feature of democratic societies, including advanced democracies around the world.

Tinubu argued that the opposition’s disorganization and internal instability are self-inflicted and cannot be attributed to his administration or the APC. He pointed out that it is not his responsibility to manage or strengthen opposition parties, adding that they must take ownership of their failures instead of seeking scapegoats.

The President also criticized the apparent double standard of opposition leaders and activists who celebrated defections from the APC, such as that of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), while condemning defections into the ruling party. According to him, the political choices of individuals joining the APC are acts of free will and should be respected as part of the democratic process.

Responding to claims that his administration was promoting a one-party state through coercion, bribery, or intimidation, Tinubu dismissed such allegations as fiction created by disgruntled politicians. He maintained that there is no evidence to suggest that democratic freedoms in Nigeria are being undermined.

Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to democratic principles, highlighting his long history of promoting opposition movements that led to the historic defeat of the former ruling party in 2015. He described himself as a firm believer in multiparty democracy and pledged to continue upholding the nation’s democratic foundations.

The statement concluded by urging Nigerians to respect the political choices of others and to ignore alarmist narratives aimed at creating unnecessary fear. The Presidency assured citizens that under President Tinubu, Nigeria’s multiparty democracy remains vibrant and will continue to thrive.