By THE Nigerian Presidency has dismissed claims that democracy in Nigeria is under threat, describing recent criticisms by opposition figures and some activists as baseless and alarmist.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said democracy remains strong and alive under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The statement comes in response to concerns raised over recent high-profile defections from opposition parties to the governing All Progressives Congress (APC).
Notable political shifts, including Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno’s open declaration of support for President Tinubu and the defections of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, former vice-presidential candidate Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, and other principal actors in Delta and Rivers States, have unsettled opposition ranks.
However, the Presidency insists that these developments are an exercise of democratic freedom rather than an erosion of it.
“The opposition cannot blame President Tinubu and the APC for their poor organisation, indiscipline, and gross incompetence,” Onanuga said. “It is certainly not part of President Tinubu’s job to organise or strengthen opposition parties.”
Refuting allegations that the administration is orchestrating a move towards a one-party state, the Presidency affirmed that no policy or action has been taken to weaken democratic structures.
“Accusations of bribery, blackmail, and the weaponisation of state institutions exist only in the idle minds of failed politicians and their agents,” Onanuga stated.
He further pointed out the inconsistency of opposition figures who celebrated defections into their own fold while condemning shifts towards the APC. “It is hypocrisy writ large,” he added.
Onanuga emphasised that freedom of association, speech, and choice are foundational ideals of democracy, and criticised attempts to delegitimise the political choices of Nigerians who choose to support President Tinubu.
“Under President Tinubu, democracy is strong, and the multiparty democratic system will continue to flourish unhindered,” he affirmed.
The statement concluded by urging Nigerians to respect the political choices of fellow citizens and to reject what it described as alarmist narratives drawn from fiction.
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