APC’s Basiru Compares Party to Jehovah’s Witnesses, Slams Opposition as Inactive
Ajibola Basiru, the National Secretary of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has drawn a bold comparison between his party and Jehovah’s Witnesses — the Christian denomination known for its fervent door-to-door evangelism — while taking sharp jabs at the state of opposition politics in Nigeria.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Basiru, a former senator from Osun Central, dismissed allegations that the APC and President Bola Tinubu’s administration are turning Nigeria into a one-party state, amid a wave of high-profile defections to the ruling party.
“The structure of Nigerian politics isn’t our creation,” Basiru asserted. “The real issue is the lack of seriousness from opposition parties. They simply aren’t doing the work.”
He challenged journalists to visit opposition party offices and observe for themselves what he called a “shocking lack of activity,” suggesting the real vacuum is not due to APC dominance but the opposition’s failure to engage.
Basiru lauded the APC’s grassroots engagement strategy and praised the leadership of President Tinubu, the Progressive Governors’ Forum, and National Working Committee Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje. He emphasized the party’s commitment to building a robust nationwide structure.
“We move around like Jehovah’s Witnesses — with all due respect to the group — spreading the APC message to every corner of the country,” he said, underscoring the party’s outreach efforts.
Reflecting on the APC’s early days in opposition, Basiru highlighted Tinubu’s resilience. “After the 2003 elections, Tinubu was the last man standing in the southwest. He faced endless probes, court cases, and political isolation but stayed the course.”
Basiru accused today’s opposition leaders of shirking responsibility and fabricating harassment narratives by the ruling party. “These are not politically motivated defections,” he said. “Look at the lawmakers and governors crossing over — many have no pending cases with the EFCC or ICPC.”
He listed several lawmakers from various opposition parties — including Labour, SDP, PDP, and NNPP — who have recently joined the APC, noting that many are political newcomers with no history of corruption allegations.
On Wednesday, the trend continued as Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori left the PDP for the APC. “We’ve realised it’s crucial to align with our people and build the Delta State everyone can be proud of,” said Delta’s Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, confirming the governor’s defection.
