Gbajabiamila’s remarks on ADC crisis

Social media has been filled with reactions following recent comments attributed to the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt.Hon.Femi Gbajabiamila, during an event hosted by Representative Leke Abejide.

While the setting was celebratory, the undertones of the remarks which many have interpreted as a tacit admission of the ruling party’s role in the internal fractures of opposition parties are anything but festive. They represent a chilling perspective on the state of our democracy.

If the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has indeed had a hand in destabilizing its rivals, as the circulating commentary suggests, it is not merely a political masterstroke. It is an assault on the fundamental principles of a multi-party democracy.

The essence of a democratic system lies in the existence of a viable, robust, and independent opposition. The opposition provides the necessary checks and balances that prevent a ruling party from slipping into the lethargy of absolute power.

When a ruling party actively seeks to decapitate the leadership of opposition blocs or fund internal rebellions within their ranks, it effectively disenfranchises millions of voters who chose a different path.

History has shown that when the line between political competition and political sabotage blurs, the ultimate victim is the citizenry. A destabilized opposition leads to a one-party state in all but name, a scenario where accountability dies, and the government becomes an echo chamber of its own praises.

Gbajabiamila’s remarks, whether intended as political banter or a slip of the tongue, touch upon a sensitive nerve in a nation already struggling with voter apathy and a perceived lack of choice.

Democracy is meant to be a contest of ideas and performance, not a game of shadow-boxing where the referee is also a contestant.

The Presidency must do more than offer tepid denials. It must demonstrate, through action, a commitment to the sanctity of the electoral space.

Political parties must be allowed to grow, fail, or thrive on their own merits and the will of their members, not through the external engineering of a powerful incumbent.

If we allow the destabilization of opposition parties to become an accepted tool of statecraft, we are not building a nation; we are merely decorating a dictatorship. Nigeria’s democracy is too hard-won to be sacrificed on the altar of partisan dominance.

The ruling party should focus on the renewed hope agenda to win over the populace, rather than ensuring there is no one left to offer an alternative.