The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed claims that it is attempting to turn Nigeria into a one-party state, despite an increasing number of defections from opposition parties. Speaking on Tuesday, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said the party has no such ambition and emphasized that Nigeria’s laws firmly support multi-party democracy. “Our Constitution, the Electoral Act, and other laws firmly establish Nigeria as a multi-party, pluralist society. It is neither our desire nor our objective to alter that structure,” Morka said.
He noted that defections from parties like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) are not unusual, especially if individuals wish to align with the ruling party’s vision. “Many of these people are saying, ‘we want to be part of the process.’ There’s nothing wrong with that.”
Morka also pointed out that when the PDP was in power, it controlled over 28 states without accusations of trying to dominate the political landscape. The APC, he said, is focused on consolidating its platform and defending its policies, not silencing the opposition. “We are only concerned about protecting ourselves as a party, not eliminating political competition,” he added.
His comments come amid growing concern from some political analysts and opposition figures that the wave of defections could undermine Nigeria’s democratic balance.
