Dare Babalola
Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday mounted a strong defence for the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
He accused political opponents of fueling instability as the country edges closer to the 2027 general elections.
Speaking in Abuja during the commissioning of the Nigeria Revenue Service headquarters, Akpabio dismissed growing concerns over insecurity, arguing that recent incidents are not coincidental but politically motivated.
“You are seeing insecurity today; it’s even increasing because the election is coming. As soon as the election is over, watch out for the first two weeks; you won’t hear any bomb blasts because people are sponsoring to distract,” he said on Tuesday.
The Senate President framed the situation as part of a broader attempt to undermine the Tinubu-led government, insisting that despite such distractions, the administration remains focused on governance and reform.
He also pointed to what he described as expanding political support for the ruling party, noting a surge in the number of state governors aligning with the government.
“They don’t know what else to do; they say this man is too good in many areas; the government is attracted to him because he is taking very good care of the states.
“Initially, it’s less than 18 governors. Today, we have almost 32 governors under his fold out of 36 states,” Akpabio said.
Turning his criticism toward opposition parties, Akpabio said their internal disorganisation has weakened their electoral prospects, accusing them of resorting to attacks on institutions rather than strengthening their structures.
“So where do we belong? How do you win elections when you don’t know how to structure? No political party today is stable in this country,” he said.
He particularly faulted calls for the resignation of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joash Amupitan, over a controversial social media post, arguing that the issue had been misrepresented.
“Then they change and say, ‘Let us attack the people going to do the election,’ and they bring out a tweet saying the chairman of INEC said, ‘Victory is Sure’. But he didn’t say victory is sure for APC or PDP, and the man said, ‘It’s manipulated.
“But for me, whether manipulated or not, he said, victory is sure. He was not the chairman of INEC then. Anybody can support whoever he wishes to, but when you are in a seat, you have to think of the entire country and its populace,” he added.
With less than a year to the next general elections, the ruling All Progressives Congress continues to dominate the political landscape, controlling a majority of states and the National Assembly, even as opposition voices warn against the risks of a shrinking democratic space.
