President Bola Tinubu has refuted claims that his
administration is plotting to turn Nigeria into a one-party state, declaring
that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) remains open to members from
other political parties.
He made the statement on Thursday during a special joint
session of the National Assembly in Abuja to mark Democracy Day.
“You are all welcome to the progressive fold. Nobody should
close the door,” Tinubu told lawmakers. “Political parties fearful of members
leaving may be better served by examining their internal processes and affairs,
rather than fearfully conjuring up demons that do not exist.”
Responding directly to insinuations of political dominance,
he added, “I will not say, try your best to put your house in order. I will not
help you to do so, either.”
Tinubu used the opportunity to reflect on Nigeria’s
democratic journey since the return to civilian rule in 1999. “I felt a sense
of collective accomplishment when I realised how far we had come as a nation,”
he said. “Democracy has risen from the ashes of military rule to reclaim its
rightful place as the only acceptable form of governance for our resilient and
beloved people.”
He paid glowing tribute to the late Chief Moshood Abiola,
the presumed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, and
praised former President Muhammadu Buhari for officially recognising Abiola and
declaring June 12 as Democracy Day. “Let me pay tribute to my predecessor… for
reaching back into history to rectify a national misdeed,” Tinubu said.
The president also recalled the sacrifices of pro-democracy
activists who were killed, exiled, or jailed. “We must celebrate the courage of
Kudirat Abiola and Pa Alfred Rewane, both of whom were murdered by agents of
military repression,” he said.
“We remember the many civil rights activists, journalists,
and politicians who were imprisoned, exiled, tossed aside, and beaten.”
Tinubu urged continued cooperation between the executive and
the legislature: “While we may not always agree, we must forge a way to work
together—because this is what democracy demands of us.”
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com