Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Farouq Adamu Aliyu has dismissed one-party state concerns as subjective, maintaining they reflect elite struggles, not a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
He said this while speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Tuesday.
“This is very subjective because anybody can say whatever they want. It has nothing to do with a one-party state. In fact, we don’t like a one-party state and we will not allow it to take place in this country. This is an elite fight; it has nothing to do with the masses,” he stressed.
Aliyu defended his remarks on elites, urging Nigerians to distinguish between self-serving actors and those committed to the masses.
“People should differentiate who among us is with the masses and who is not,” he said.
Speaking on concerns over Tinubu’s low public profile, the APC Chieftain said the APC prioritises the country, focusing on programs over personalities.
“It is not about Tinubu or the APC; it is about our country,” he declared.
He added that if Nigerians are dissatisfied with the party’s performance by 2027, they have the option to vote it out, emphasising accountability and public choice.
“It is about the people. We are telling the people of Nigeria that if we are voted out in 2027, so be it. If Nigerians feel what we are doing is not good enough, let them vote us out,” he maintained.
Speaking on creating a citizen-centered state, Aliyu said a one-party system is not in Nigeria’s best interest, stressing that the opposition must organise itself or risk being “harvested.”
“It is not in the best interest of this country to have a one-party state. We don’t want it. But if the opposition does not gather themselves together, we will harvest.”
He further noted that electoral laws reflect the National Assembly majority and urged Nigerians to hold representatives accountable through voting or recall.
“Regarding the Electoral Act, these things were passed by elected members of the National Assembly. Nigerian people should decide in 2027. Any member who does not do what the constituency wants should not be voted for again. There is also the option of recall,” he urged.
Addressing APC zoning, Aliyu said North-South rotation promotes unity and leadership must not favour any tribe or religion.
“There is an unwritten rule in this country: North, South, North. Tinubu has spent four years; we hope he spends another four, and after that, the APC will zone it back to the North. Leadership should have nothing to do with tribe or religion. The North-South consensus is an elitist agreement that the best way to maintain harmony is to rotate power, and it has worked for us so far,” Aliyu maintained.
Commenting on President Tinubu’s UK visit, Aliyu said Nigeria cannot isolate itself from the global community.
“Nigeria is not an island; we need to live in the global world and cannot ignore what the UK is to this country. My personal opinion is that it was a good thing he went and was received well.”
On concerns about loan deals and sovereignty, Aliyu explained that Nigeria is not selling sovereignty, noting that loans and foreign help serve national interests.
“The government is not selling the sovereignty of this country. The government has done its calculations to ensure this loan is in the best interest of the country. If our leaders seek ways to make the country better, what is wrong with that?”, he quizzed.
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