Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State says the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) does not want Nigeria to become a one- party State.
Addressing State House Correspondents after meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, on Tuesday, the governor said he was at the Villa to discuss issues concerning his state and the APC .
Answering questions on the political situation in the country and concerns by some opposition figures that the nation was sliding into a one party state, Governor Sule said the APC was only interested in being the dominant party in the country, capable of winning election.
He also claimed that the gale of defections, especially into the APC, was because of the performance of President Tinubu, saying “It’s a reflection of the performance of our party and the performance of Mr. President. Mr. President is carrying out a lot of reforms. We saw the first reforms.”
“I don’t believe, by the slightest of imagination, that we are going to be a one-party state. If you look at it, no matter how successful we are, you know, even America, for instance, that have the Republican Party and the Democratic Party, you still have the Green Party and so many other political parties that you don’t hear about. So, the same thing with Nigeria.
“No matter what happens, there are people who are going to be in another party. Actually, we don’t even want Nigeria to be a one-party state. We just want to be the dominant party. We just want to be the winning party. We just want to be the party. If we can win 90% of the votes, okay, that’s it.
“The other parties can win 10% of the votes. So, it’s not about….. and I’m not being sarcastic. I’m just trying to be serious with you. There is no way we can be a one-party state. But every party wants to be the dominant party. Every party wants to win elections.
“Every party wants to be able to give back to society and to give back to the people. And I think that’s what our party is doing.”
On the President’s reforms, he said, “We saw one in the removal of subsidy. We have seen one now in the power sector. In fact, one of the ones that interests me that we are doing is the one of skill acquisition and agriculture.
“So, when you are beginning to see a lot of these efforts, a lot of these reforms, nearly every reform will come with its ups and downs. You know, but the advantages of some of these reforms far outweigh the disadvantages. So, as a result of that, people who are happy with what they are seeing, they are the people who are returning to the party.
“So, I think the party is doing well, and for that reason, the President is also doing well. And that is the reason why people are joining.”
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