The Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu says he is disheartened by the current state of disarray among Nigeria’s opposition parties and desires a more vibrant and organised opposition in the country.
The president gave this hint in Abuja Nigeria’s capital during the commissioning of the newly constructed interchange bridges of Arterial road N20 in the Federal Capital Territory ( Wale Soyinka Way over Outer Northern Expressway ( Murtala Mohammed Expressway ).
The President who was represented by the Senate Senator Godwill Akpabio said that the President, as a committed democrat, values a strong opposition as essential to Nigeria’s political health.
“President Bola Tinubu GCFR is very interested in seeing a vibrant opposition. It saddens him when he sees the way the opposition is in disarray,” Akpabio stated.
“As a true democrat, he would like to see a very vibrant opposition in the country.”
The Senate President noted that not only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but also the Labour Party is struggling with internal divisions.
“Just before I came here to represent the president, I received a letter from the Labour Party. So it’s not only PDP that’s in disarray; even the Labour Party is cracked, and people who are strong members of the Labour Party are angling to run Nigeria when they cannot put a small political party like that in order,” he added.
Akpabio also announced the defection of Senator Neda Imasuen from the Labour Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), noting that he personally conducted the defection formalities at the Senate earlier in the day.
According to him, “Senator Neda Imasuen just decamped this afternoon from the Labour Party and moved from the left-hand side of the Senate to the right-hand side so that took my time. I had to do that ritual. I’m not tired. I’m happy to receive them because our doors are open in the All Progressives Congress,” he said, adding, “I want to join the president to see a vibrant opposition.”
Tinubu had in his Democracy Day speech at the National Assembly mocked the opposition over the crises bedevilling them, stating that he would not help them put their houses in order.