The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed allegations by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that Nigeria’s democratic system is under threat, describing the claims as alarmist and politically motivated.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Lagos State APC spokesman Seye Oladejo responded to Atiku’s Tuesday assertion that the Tinubu administration was undermining opposition parties and shrinking the country’s democratic space, potentially paving the way for a one-party state. Oladejo countered that democratic institutions have continued to function normally since May 2023.
“Elections have been conducted, courts have adjudicated disputes, the legislature has exercised oversight, and citizens continue to enjoy constitutionally guaranteed freedoms,” the APC spokesman said. He added that the opposition has freely protested, litigated, and expressed views, which he said were hallmarks of a functioning democracy.
Oladejo also criticised the leadership of Atiku’s African Democratic Congress (ADC), arguing that internal contradictions and political ambitions, rather than government actions, were driving their rhetoric. “What we are witnessing is not the defence of democracy, but the last convulsion of a political arrangement held together by fear, impatience, and fading relevance,” he said.
The APC reiterated that ongoing government reforms are rooted in constitutional order, the rule of law, and democratic accountability, and urged the opposition to acknowledge the resilience of Nigeria’s democratic institutions. “Democracy is not collapsing. It is only the opposition that is frightened by its own shadow,” Oladejo concluded.
