President Bola Tinubu has dismissed criticisms that his government is pushing to make Nigeria a one-party state, describing opposition parties as sinking ships.

Mr Tinubu, at the All Progressives Congress national summit on Thursday, likened politicians dumping opposition parties for the ruling party to people jumping from a sinking ship for their survival.

“I just need to tell those who say a one-party system is no good. It is one party ruling, driving the aspirations of Nigerians. You don’t blame a people bailing out of a sinking ship when they have no life jackets,” Mr Tinubu said.

Expressing excitement over the defection of opposition politicians to the ruling APC, Mr Tinubu said his party is pushing to “sweep clean” opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party, and others, because it is part of the game.

“I’m glad for what we have, and I’m expecting more to come. That is the game. Welcome to progress; sweep them clean,” Mr Tinubu said.

Major opposition parties include the Atiku Abubakar-led Peoples Democratic Party and the Peter Obi-led Labour Party. They came second and third respectively in the 2023 election won by Mr Tinubu of the APC.

Meanwhile, opposition groups are pushing for a coalition to challenge Mr Tinubu at the polls in 2027.

On Wednesday, former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai, who dumped the APC for the Social Democratic Party in March, said coalition members had already held a meeting on how to oust Mr Tinubu from office.