The National Chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Yabagi Sani, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu is behind the internal turmoil currently destabilizing several opposition parties in Nigeria.
While addressing a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, June 11, President Tinubu distanced himself from the internal conflicts within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and others, stating his administration had no hand in the issues facing the opposition.
However, in a press briefing held in Abuja, Sani directly contradicted the president’s claims, accusing him of deliberately stifling political pluralism in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He warned that Nigeria’s democratic gains were under threat.
According to Sani, “Never again to the recycling of impunity. Never again to the return of dictatorship by other means.”
He continued, “Let the lesson of June 12 be clear: when responsibility fails, accountability must rise. If we forget that, we dishonour the heroes who gave everything for the democracy we now take for granted.”
“Let every citizen rise, for freedom, for justice, for Nigeria. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Sani did not mince words as he accused the president of undermining the nation’s multiparty democracy.
“Bola Tinubu is dismembering the political space, and he is saying he’s not killing the political space. That is what I think is happening,” he said.
He added, “The rhetoric does not match what their actions are. So this is why I believe he has to wake up to the fact that Nigeria of today is different from what it used to be.”
Expressing concern over the state of democracy, Sani emphasized the collective national investment in democratic processes.
“We do not want to lose this democracy. We’ve invested so much into it and that’s why we are saying what we are saying,” he stated.
Despite acknowledging Tinubu’s democratic credentials, Sani suggested the president may be out of touch with dissenting voices.
“Because he is a democrat, he knows what we are talking about. But perhaps because he has an echo chamber around him, in the sense that the only people he has good talks with are his cronies, he does not hear something different from another person.”
Sani further expressed disappointment in the president’s remarks suggesting disunity among the opposition would benefit the nation.
“So saying that it’s not killing democracy or Nigeria is not moving towards a one-party state is a lie,” Sani said.
“It is a lie because as a president, I was even disappointed when he said that he’s praying that the opposition will be in disarray. I mean, when you’re a president of the country, at that point in time, you are not representing your party. You represent the interests of everybody, including the opposition and what have you.”
