The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Communication, Sunday Dare, has dismissed claims that there are moves to make the All Progressives Congress (APC) the only party on the ballot in the 2027 elections.
Dare made the clarification during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, while reacting to protests by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over actions taken by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) concerning the party’s leadership crisis.
INEC had suspended recognition of the ADC’s rival leadership factions, including the one led by David Mark, following a Court of Appeal ruling and ongoing disputes within the party.
Reacting, the ADC described the development as a “plot” to exclude it from the 2027 elections.
However, Dare rejected such claims, insisting that Nigeria’s political space remains open.
“There are 20 political parties in Nigeria today. No one is stopping them from functioning.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC) will not close shop because other political parties are enmeshed in one crisis or the other,” he said.
He further accused opposition parties, particularly the ADC, of appealing to public sentiment instead of strengthening their internal structures to compete effectively.
Dare also dismissed suggestions that the APC-led federal government is restricting political participation, stressing that opposition activities remain protected.
“The federal government will always protect the rights of the people to carry out their activities.
“Journalists work freely and attack the President on a daily basis with no one stopping them from doing their job.
“Is it supposed to be the duty of the president to help organise the opposition?
“Building a strong political party is a tedious process. We all know how difficult it was to build the APC.
“APC is not the architect of ADC’s crisis. It is self-inflicted. Instead of building their party into a strong force, the leaders are looking for shortcuts.
“Building a strong political force requires sacrifice and hard work. If you cannot do that, don’t blame someone else for the resultant failure,” he said.