The presidency has slammed opposition leaders accusing President Bola Tinubu of turning Nigeria into an authoritarian and one-party system following the recent defection of some key opposition figures to the ruling All Progressives Congress.

In a statement signed by presidential media aide Bayo Onanuga on Sunday, the presidency described Mr Tinubu as a democrat dedicated to promoting multiparty democracy in the country.

“We have read the alarming claims of disgruntled opposition figures, some partisan human rights crusaders and emergency defenders of democracy over recent defections of key members of opposition parties into the governing All Progressives Congress.

“President Tinubu is an avowed democrat and a firm believer in multiparty democracy. His political activism and democratic credentials in galvanising and strengthening opposition platforms as a force that defeated a sitting president and the then ruling party attest to his credibility as a tested defender of multiparty democracy,” said the statement.

Some key opposition members in Delta and Rivers, including Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, former vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 election, Ifeanyi Okowa, recently defected to the ruling APC amid PDP’s protracted crisis.

However, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and other opposition figures accused Mr Tinubu of turning the country into authoritarianism, adding that his government had implemented destructive policies that had thrown Nigerians into untold hardship.

Yet, the presidency stated that “opposition elements are understandably heartbroken over the failure of their fabled grand coalition to gain traction”, accusing them of “resorting to peddling false allegations of promoting a one-party state against President Bola Tinubu, who is working very hard to reverse decades of economic mismanagement in our country.” 

It explained that Mr Tinubu had no policy, official action, or directive to dismantle democracy, weaken opposition, or create a one-party state. 

“Accusations of bribery, blackmail, and the weaponisation of state institutions only exist in the idle minds of politicians and their agents who have failed in their assigned role of opposition and are fishing for scapegoats,” said the presidency.

The statement accused the opposition of incompetence and indiscipline, urging Nigerians to support Mr Tinubu’s administration in protecting the country’s thriving democracy.

“The opposition cannot blame President Tinubu and the governing APC for their poor organisation, indiscipline, and gross incompetence in managing their affairs. It is certainly not part of President Tinubu’s job to organise or strengthen opposition parties.

“We urge all Nigerians to join hands with the administration in protecting our democracy by respecting our people’s choices and giving alarmists, who draw their narratives from the pool of fiction, a wide berth,” said the presidency.