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President Bola Tinubu has rejected allegations that his administration is undermining opposition parties, maintaining that he has neither coerced defections nor suppressed dissent.
Speaking during an interfaith Iftar with senators at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, the President addressed growing concerns that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is consolidating power by pressuring opposition figures.
Tinubu said critics are entitled to their views but insisted claims that he is “destroying the opposition” are unfounded, stressing that he has not deployed force or state authority to silence political rivals.
“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,” Tinubu said.
He argued that recent defections into the APC were voluntary, suggesting that internal crises within opposition parties may be pushing members to leave. According to him, individuals cannot be faulted for abandoning parties they perceive as unstable.
“But I can’t blame anybody for jumping out of a sinking ship if they did,” he said.
The President also pointed to Nigeria’s ongoing security challenges, including terrorism and banditry, as factors contributing to broader national strain. He called for unity among political leaders, urging cooperation across party lines.
Tinubu added that Nigeria’s democratic foundation was built to foster collective progress, not conflict, and that political parties should work together in the country’s interest.
