Nasarawa gov dismisses fears of one-party state

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has dismissed growing concerns that Nigeria may be drifting towards a one-party state under President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), following a recent wave of defections from opposition parties.

Governor Sule made the remarks on Tuesday while addressing journalists after a closed-door meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting, which focused on governance issues in Nasarawa State and internal party affairs, came just days after Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, former PDP vice-presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa, formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC. Their defection is the latest in a series of high-profile political realignments that have sparked debate about the state of Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.

When asked whether the spate of defections could lead to the emergence of a one-party state, Governor Sule said such concerns were unfounded.

“I don’t believe, by the slightest stretch of imagination, that we are heading towards a one-party state,” he stated.

“Actually, we don’t even want Nigeria to be a one-party state. We just want to be the dominant party… If we can win 90% of the votes, that’s fine. The other parties can win 10%.”

The governor insisted that the APC’s growing dominance was not a result of coercion or democratic backsliding, but rather due to widespread public support for President Tinubu’s reform agenda.

He cited the administration’s efforts in economic liberalisation, fuel subsidy removal, power sector reform, and investments in agriculture and vocational skills development as key reasons why political figures are aligning with the ruling party.

“When you begin to see a lot of these efforts and reforms, nearly every reform will come with its ups and downs,” he said.

“But the advantages of some of these reforms far outweigh the disadvantages. So, people who are satisfied with what they are seeing are the ones returning to the party.”

Governor Sule’s comments come at a politically sensitive time, as the APC seeks to consolidate its national influence ahead of the 2027 general elections, while opposition parties such as the PDP and Labour Party continue to grapple with internal divisions and waning influence in several states.

Observers have noted that the centralisation of political power within the APC—while not unprecedented in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic—risks stifling opposition voices and undermining accountability, unless it is balanced by a robust civil society, credible electoral processes, and genuine intra-party democracy.

In addition to party matters, the governor briefed President Tinubu on developments in Nasarawa State, particularly in the energy and agricultural sectors.

He highlighted that Nasarawa currently hosts the highest number of mini-grid energy projects in the country, attributing this to the state’s commitment to harnessing renewable energy to drive agricultural growth and rural development.

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