The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ajibola Basiru, has accused opposition leaders of lamenting their “loss of opportunity to plunder Nigeria’s resources” rather than defending citizens’ welfare.
Basiru made the remarks after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, shortly after Ahmadu Fintiri defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.
Opposition Criticism and One-Party State Allegations
Opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, had earlier warned that Nigeria risks becoming a one-party state under the APC government.
They also criticised the Electoral Act 2026, arguing that provisions such as optional real-time transmission of results and mandatory direct primaries could disadvantage smaller parties.
In response, Basiru dismissed the coalition’s concerns, describing critics as lacking electoral credibility and accusing them of exaggerating threats to Nigeria’s democracy.
Tinubu’s Economic Reforms and Foreign Reserves Growth
Highlighting economic reforms under Tinubu’s administration, Basiru cited growth in Nigeria’s foreign reserves—from approximately $3bn to $49bn—as evidence of blocked corruption leakages and subsidy reforms.
He also claimed improvements in naira performance and a reduction in food inflation from about 35% to 15%.
According to the APC secretary, these economic indicators demonstrate that anti-corruption measures and fiscal restructuring are yielding results.
Defections Reshape Nigeria’s Political Landscape
With Fintiri’s defection, the APC now controls 30 of Nigeria’s 36 states, strengthening its national dominance.
Basiru described the wave of defections as proof of the APC’s political acceptability and President Tinubu’s leadership strategy to build a pan-Nigerian political structure.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders continue to allege political pressure, institutional bias, and security agency harassment—claims the Presidency has firmly denied.
The unfolding political realignments and debate over the Electoral Act 2026 signal intensifying power struggles ahead of future elections.
