The National Chairman of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Alhaji Yusuf Dantalle, has dismissed claims that Nigeria is gradually sliding into a one-party state, insisting that the country’s political landscape remains vibrant, competitive, and constitutionally pluralistic.
Dantalle made the assertion on Monday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, where he argued that the existence of multiple political parties actively contesting elections contradicts allegations of political monopoly.
His comments come amid growing concerns from opposition parties and civil society groups that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is fostering conditions that could weaken opposition platforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The concerns have been fuelled by a wave of defections from opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), prompting fears that Nigeria’s democratic space is shrinking. Opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, have repeatedly warned against what they describe as increasing political consolidation by the ruling party.
However, Dantalle maintained that Nigeria’s democratic system remains firmly multiparty, pointing to the activities of several political parties preparing for future elections.
“I think what you are saying is contradictory. My party is APM, there is APC, there is NDC, there is SDP, there is YPP, there is NNPP, and everybody is running their race separately,” he said.
According to him, the presence of multiple parties fielding candidates for elective offices across the country is clear evidence that Nigeria is far from becoming a one-party state.
Questioning the basis of the allegations, Dantalle noted that numerous presidential aspirants have already emerged from different political parties ahead of the next electoral cycle.
“If you say Nigeria is drifting towards a one-party state, how come we now have all these other candidates vying for respective political offices under different political parties? Today, you have presidential candidates of not less than 10 that have emerged,” he stated.
The IPAC chairman further argued that political competition remains the defining feature of Nigeria’s democracy, stressing that every party is free to pursue electoral victory within the boundaries of the law.
“No party can stop another from contesting. Every political party wants to win elections using its own strategy, but whatever happens must be within the ambit of the law,” he said.
Dantalle also contended that Nigeria’s diversity makes the emergence of a one-party system practically impossible, noting that no single political platform can accommodate the country’s vast range of interests and aspirations.
“Nigeria is too big for one party to accommodate the divergent interests and aspirations of its people. No party can contain all those interests; there would be an implosion in the end,” he said.
He added that defections, disagreements, and political realignments are normal features of democratic practice and should not be interpreted as evidence of democratic decline.
Reiterating his position, Dantalle said he strongly disagrees with suggestions that Nigeria is heading toward one-party dominance. “It is not a possibility. Anybody can try, but not in Nigeria. It is not possible,” he declared.
The debate over Nigeria’s political direction is expected to intensify as parties begin strategic alignments and preparations for the 2027 general elections.
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