Gov Sule Dismisses One-Party State Fears, Says APC’s Growth Driven by Tinubu’s Reforms

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has downplayed concerns that Nigeria is drifting towards a one-party state, asserting that the growing dominance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a result of effective leadership and reform-oriented governance under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Speaking to journalists on Monday at the State House after a meeting with the President, Governor Sule insisted that the rise of the APC should not be misconstrued as the collapse of political pluralism in Nigeria.

“There is no way we can be a one-party state. No matter what happens, there are people who will remain in other parties.

Actually, we don’t even want Nigeria to be a one-party state; we just want to be the dominant party,” he said.

Sule attributed the APC’s increasing appeal nationwide to the administration’s bold economic and structural reforms, noting that defectors are joining the ruling party of their own volition.

“It’s a reflection of the performance of our party and the performance of Mr. President,” Sule stated. “We’ve seen reforms in the unification of exchange rates, the removal of fuel subsidies, and now in the power sector. What is even more impressive is the focus on skill acquisition and agriculture. These are real reforms that matter to the people.”

He argued that in a functional democracy, every political party aims to dominate and win elections, but such ambition does not eliminate the relevance of opposition parties.

Sule’s comments come amid growing speculation following a wave of defections by prominent opposition politicians to the APC, sparking fears of a shrinking political space ahead of the 2027 general elections.