A founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State, Dr. Salihu Girei, has rejected claims that Bola Tinubu is orchestrating a wave of defections to entrench a one-party system in Nigeria.
Speaking to journalists in Yola, Girei dismissed allegations that the president or the ruling party is deliberately steering the country toward a one-party state by drawing high-profile political figures into its fold.
The former commissioner, who is now a governorship aspirant on the APC platform in Adamawa State, described the ongoing defections into the party as voluntary political decisions taken by individuals exercising their constitutional rights.
“Defections as we are seeing them are a product of free political choice, not coercion,” Girei said. “Nigeria remains a multi-party democracy, and no one is being forced to join the APC.”
Girei specifically defended the recent defection of Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, to the APC, insisting that the ruling party remains open to all Nigerians who wish to align with its vision and programmes.
According to him, it would be undemocratic for any political party to shut its doors to new members, especially elected officials who believe their political future and that of their supporters would be better served within another platform.
He maintained that President Tinubu is a committed democrat who understands the value of a competitive political environment, stressing that welcoming new entrants into the party should not be misconstrued as a plot to weaken opposition parties.
Girei further argued that political realignments are not unusual in Nigeria’s democratic journey, noting that shifting alliances and defections have long been part of the country’s political culture.
He urged critics to focus on strengthening their respective parties rather than attributing the movement of politicians to alleged manipulation by the presidency.
“As a party, we cannot reject people who willingly come to us. That would be against the spirit of democracy,” he added.
The APC chieftain expressed confidence that Nigeria’s democratic institutions remain strong enough to sustain pluralism, insisting that fears of a one-party state are unfounded and politically exaggerated.
