The National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Samuel Anyanwu, has alleged that there is a plot by President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
Mr Anyanwu made the accusation in an interview with Nigeria Right Now, a political programme produced and anchored by Dickson Iroegbu.
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In the interview, the PDP national secretary said the opposition party has made several efforts to challenge the policies of the federal government, but it appears that Mr Tinubu’s administration is moving towards a one-party system.
“If you remember, even during the EndSARS and EndBadGovernance protests, our party spoke. We have been talking, but you see, this present administration, the ruling party, the way they are going, is trying to drift into one party system” he said.
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The presidential candidate of the PDP in the last election, Atiku Abubakar, recently accused President Tinubu of interfering with the courts to tilt judicial rulings in the direction of the APC and that the president has a plan to turn Nigeria into a one-party country.
Bayo Onanuga, the presidential spokesperson, denied the allegations, noting that Atiku only raised a false alarm.
Poor opposition
Mr Anyanwu also identified internal crises within opposition parties as factors that could promote the one-party system.
He specifically said that the PDP, Labour Party, and other opposition parties are battling internal divisions, which prevents the parties from being strong oppositions.
“Most of us who are the operators of the party, and because even within the party, there are rancours, there are divisions within our own party and other political parties.
“If you see what is happening in the Labour Party, there are issues among themselves. So they need to, first of all, put themselves together.
“Look at what we are talking about. We are on holidays, and people are going about trying to throw a confusion in the party, confusing our party faithfuls. When they hear, oh, their national chairman has been removed, their secretary has been removed, they say they hear. So it gives us no question to give a strong opposition, a strong voice. Even within our party, among the leaders of the party, some of them are divided,” he added.
Analysts have said there are arguably two factions in the PDP. One is loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, while the other is loyal to Atiku.
The two factions have been at loggerheads over the party structure.
The latest crisis that escalated was the suspension and counter-suspension of party leaders in October last year.
However, the Federal High Court in Abuja issued an order that no person other than Umar Damagum should be recognised as PDP national chairperson until the party’s national convention scheduled for December.
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