Kola Ologbondiyan, a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has expressed shock over President Bola Tinubu’s recent comment dismissing claims of a plot to create a one-party state in Nigeria.
Speaking on Channels TV’s Morning Brief on Friday, June 13, Ologbondiyan said the president’s remarks were unexpected and troubling.
“We never expected Mr President to come to the public arena and declare that he knows nothing about the plot to bring up the one-party state,” he said.
On Thursday, Tinubu addressed the National Assembly and denied that his administration had any intention to impose a one-party system.
“To those who ring the alarm that the APC is intent on a one-party state, I offer you a most personal promise. While your alarm may be as a result of your panic, it rings in error,” the president had said.
He also added that he was “happy that the opposition parties are in disarray” and would not assist them.
Ologbondiyan, however, argued that Tinubu’s remarks did little to address growing concerns.
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“We were not expecting the president to come and say I am behind the design to bring in a one-party state, no,” he said.
He also questioned Tinubu’s silence on electoral reforms and alleged that political groups were being denied registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“I have not seen when he spoke on the need to reform the electoral process. Even in that remark, Mr President said, ‘Oh, he has not seen any means in the INEC to say that INEC should not register any parties’, but those who have filed for registration have come out to say they have refused to register them,” Ologbondiyan said.
“There was a case of a particular intent of a group of people who want for registration and they have completed all the processes and they have been told to come for their certificate. Day in, day out, they have not been issued that certificate,” he added.
He concluded by questioning Tinubu’s sincerity, pointing to public comments by members of the president’s own cabinet.
“It is also strange to me that Mr President will come up and say, ‘Oh, forever and ever, I will never be involved in a one-party plot,’ but the design of the party, even members of his own cabinet have come out to ask, even on Channels TV, to say where will they find a party to contest on. The president doesn’t need by himself to come out and say, ‘Don’t register this party,’” he said.