The Presidency has stated that President Bola Tinubu will not вмешиваться in the internal crises rocking opposition parties, insisting that resolving such challenges remains the responsibility of the parties involved.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Communication, Sunday Dare, made this known while speaking on Channels Television, in reaction to recent protests by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over developments involving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The ADC had, on Wednesday, staged a protest following INEC’s decision to suspend recognition of its leadership factions, including the one led by former Senate President David Mark. The commission’s action was based on a March ruling of the Court of Appeal and ongoing internal disputes within the party.
Reacting, Dare dismissed claims that the Federal Government or the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was attempting to weaken opposition parties, describing such allegations as unfounded.
“There are 20 political parties in Nigeria today. No one is stopping them from functioning. The All Progressives Congress will not close shop because other political parties are enmeshed in one crisis or the other,” he said.
He accused opposition parties, particularly the ADC, of resorting to emotional narratives rather than focusing on building strong political structures capable of competing effectively.
According to him, the Tinubu administration remains committed to upholding democratic freedoms, noting that the ability of opposition leaders to protest openly reflects the level of political liberty in the country.
“The federal government will always protect the rights of the people to carry out their activities. Journalists work freely and criticise the president on a daily basis without interference,” he added.
Dare questioned the expectation that the president should play a role in organising opposition parties, emphasising that political development requires sustained effort and internal discipline.
“Is it supposed to be the duty of the president to help organise the opposition? Building a strong political party is a tedious process. We all know how difficult it was to build the APC,” he said.
He further maintained that the crises within the ADC and other opposition parties were self-inflicted, stressing that leadership failures and internal disagreements, rather than external interference, were responsible for their current challenges.
“APC is not the architect of ADC’s crisis. It is self-inflicted. Instead of building their party into a strong force, the leaders are looking for shortcuts. Building a strong political force requires sacrifice and hard work. If you cannot do that, don’t blame someone else for the resultant failure,” Dare stated.
The remarks come amid growing tensions within opposition parties and ongoing debates over the role of regulatory institutions in Nigeria’s political process, as parties begin early positioning ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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