The National Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Ajibola Basiru, has rejected claims that Nigeria is heading towards a one-party state.

In an interview on ‘Prime Time’, a programme on Arise Television, Basiru emphasized that Nigeria continues to operate a multi-party democracy.

He highlighted the distribution of political power across the country, noting that the APC governs 27 states, the PDP has 5, APGA controls 1, NNPP 1, and ACCORD 1, underscoring the country’s multiparty system.

Basiru said, “I don’t think so. Such comments are odious opinions by what I call Internally Displaced Politicians, IDPs. The truth is that today we have a multi-party democracy, clearly illustrated by the spread of political parties across the states.

“Multi-party democracy does not mean the ruling party should weaken, become complacent, or stop organizing and mobilizing as an effective electoral force. If the idea of multi-democracy means allowing the opposition to dictate the pace, then perhaps they may be right.

“But if political democracy is about promoting ideas, exercising freedom of association, access to information, and the right to organize, then Nigeria is undeniably a multi-party democracy that continues to strengthen.

“Nigeria has one of the largest numbers of independent radio and television stations, reflecting freedom of speech. Currently, 19 political parties are registered, with five more set to participate in the 2027 elections. What else is there to discuss?

“I also want to address the false impression that the presidency is weaponizing the EFCC. There is no truth to that. Everyone has the right to organize and mobilize freely,” he added.