Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) has no plans to turn Nigeria into a one-party state despite the wave of defections swelling the ruling party’s ranks.

Speaking to State House correspondents on Tuesday after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Sule clarified that the APC’s goal is to become the dominant political force capable of consistently winning elections  not to eliminate opposition.

“I don’t believe, by the slightest of imagination, that we are going to be a one-party state,” Sule said. “Actually, we don’t even want Nigeria to be a one-party state. We just want to be the dominant party. We just want to be the winning party.”

Citing the U.S. political system as an example, Sule noted that even in a two-party system, smaller parties still exist. “If we can win 90% of the votes, okay, that’s it. The other parties can win 10%. Every party wants to be the dominant one. Every party wants to win elections and give back to society that’s what our party is doing.”

He attributed recent defections into the APC to President Tinubu’s performance and the party’s ongoing reforms. “It’s a reflection of the performance of Mr. President. We’ve seen reforms like the removal of fuel subsidy, the power sector changes, skill acquisition programs, and agricultural initiatives,” Sule said. “Nearly every reform comes with ups and downs, but the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. People who are happy with these efforts are the ones returning to the party.”

The governor also confirmed that his meeting with Tinubu focused on matters related to Nasarawa State and the APC.