President has thrown a comic jab at the opposition parties, noting that rather than fearfully conjuring up demons that do not exist, they should handle their internal crisis. He expressed that it was indeed a pleasure to witness the opposition in such disarray.
President Bola Tinubu, however, 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.
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 took the occasion to reflect on Nigeria’s democratic trajectory since its return to civilian governance 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 offered glowing tributes to the late Chief Moshood Abiola, the supposed winner of the disputed presidential election on June 12, 1993, and hailed former President Muhammadu Buhari for officially honouring Abiola and announcing June 12 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.”
He also saluted the National Assembly, which, according to him, has acted to uphold democratic ideals at every critical moment in our national history.
In 2006, the 5th National Assembly protected our democracy against an unseemly third-term bid that would have ripped our constitution apart.
