The All Progressives Congress (APC) has refuted allegations of conspiracy levelled against it and President Bola Tinubu by the Senator David Mark-led faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

It described claims that Tinubu has a role in the leadership crisis rocking the opposition party as baseless, misleading, and a desperate attempt to deflect from internal crises of the ADC.

Addressing a news conference in Abuja on Friday, the APC’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, said the opposition’s claims that President Tinubu is weakening political parties to impose a one-party state ahead of the 2027 general election were unfounded and lacked a constitutional basis.

He explained that the President, by law under the Constitution, has no power to deregister or to meddle in the affairs of any political party or the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

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Basiru noted that the ADC’s current leadership crisis stems from internal disputes and legal missteps rather than any external interference.

Dismissing accusations against the electoral body, the APC maintained that INEC acted in strict compliance with a Court of Appeal ruling.

Basiru explained that the appellate court dismissed the ADC faction’s appeal for being incompetent and ordered parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum pending determination of the substantive case.

“The decision being implemented by INEC was as a consequence of the dismissal of an appeal filed by Senator Mark and his faction… Where does President Bola Tinubu feature in their claims, if not in fallacious and malicious propaganda?” he queried.

The APC further criticised the ADC faction for allegedly disregarding court orders by insisting on proceeding with congresses and conventions despite ongoing litigation.

According to Basiru, “Insisting on proceeding with party congresses despite an ongoing case… raises serious concerns about their respect for legal processes.”

On the call for the removal of Joash Amupitan as INEC Chairman, the senator described the demand as reckless and indicative of a lack of understanding of democratic institutions.

“Their call for the sack of INEC chairman and commissioners exposes a lack of seriousness and understanding of leadership processes,” he said.

The ruling party also dismissed claims by the ADC faction that it represents a formidable opposition, citing poor electoral performance in recent contests.

Basiru described the group as a “coalition of confusion,” adding that “Leadership of the opposition is not declared through a press conference… it is earned through consistent electoral credibility and public trust.”

Reaffirming its position, the APC urged the ADC faction to address its internal challenges rather than resorting to public accusations. “Blaming other parties will not fix their internal crisis… No amount of external finger-pointing can resolve their lingering leadership issues,” Basiru stated.

The party warned that continued disregard for legal processes could have consequences, stressing that any outcome of ongoing litigation should not be blamed on the APC or the President.

“They should look inward and stop finger-pointing,” he added.