Opposition Weakness Not Tinubu’s Fault, Says Mimiko

The younger brother of former Ondo State governor (Olusegun Mimiko), Dr Abbas Mimiko, has said the weakness of opposition parties in Nigeria cannot be attributed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insisting that the development was largely the result of internal challenges within the opposition.

Mimiko, who was Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) governorship candidate in the 2024 Ondo State election, made this statement during an interview with journalists in Ondo, his home town.

He argued that the growing influence of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the wave of defections into the party should not be interpreted as evidence of political suppression.

He maintained that no credible evidence exists to support allegations that the President is stifling opposition voices, stressing that prominent opposition figures remain active in the political space.

According to him, key political actors such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso continue to speak out on national issues, indicating that opposition politics remains vibrant.

‎The ZLP chieftain said defections by governors and other politicians into the APC are voluntary decisions driven by political calculations rather than coercion from the federal government.

‎While acknowledging concerns about the shrinking space for opposition parties, Mimiko said it would be unfair to blame the President for internal crises within rival political platforms.

‎He said, “For any democracy to survive, the opposition has to be robust and participatory. But is it the President’s fault that he’s doing so well that governors are decamping to him? So if a governor decides that I like what this man is doing, I want to be part of that winning team; I don’t see anything wrong with that.

‎”Would you rather have a president who was failing so all the governors would be fleeing? If there is one person in this generation who has fought for democracy, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is number one, and I have no apology to offer anybody for saying that.”

‎On governance issues, Mimiko defended the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, describing them as difficult but necessary steps to stabilise the country’s economy.

‎He said the removal of the fuel subsidy and the unification of exchange rates were critical decisions aimed at preventing a fiscal crisis, adding that previous administrations had avoided the policies due to their political sensitivity.