A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), George Agbakahi, has dismissed concerns over Nigeria sliding into a one-party system, insisting that a one-party dominant structure is not necessarily harmful to democracy.
Agbakahi made the remarks on Monday while speaking as a guest on Arise Television, where he attributed the growing wave of defections into the APC to what he described as the party’s unprecedented unity.
According to him, the APC is experiencing its strongest internal cohesion since the return to democratic rule in 1999, a development he said has made the party attractive to politicians from across the political divide.
“It may not become a one-party state, but it will be a one-party dominant system, and there is nothing wrong with that,” Agbakahi said, stressing that dominance should not be confused with the absence of opposition.
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He pointed to a recent APC gathering in Enugu State as evidence of the party’s rising influence in the Southeast, a region traditionally considered a stronghold of opposition parties. Agbakahi described the event as a clear endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership.
“What you saw in Enugu over the weekend was a profound and resounding endorsement of President Bola Tinubu,” he said. “The APC gathering that was televised nationally elicited tremendous enthusiasm. There was a great feeling of love and an outpouring of support among APC members in the Southeast.”
Agbakahi also admitted that the party had made strategic errors during the 2023 general elections but said lessons had been learned and corrective measures were now in place.
“In the past, we in APC realized that we made a mistake in the 2023 election, and now we won’t continue to do that again,” he said.
He further revealed that key political leaders in the Southeast have now aligned more closely with the party’s national leadership, a move he believes will strengthen APC’s fortunes in the region.
According to Agbakahi, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, regarded as the political leader of the Southeast, alongside governors from Ebonyi and Enugu states, have closed ranks with Southeast members of the APC National Working Committee.
He argued that this renewed unity and coordination explain why more politicians are gravitating toward the ruling party, adding that the APC is positioning itself for stronger electoral performances in future contests.
