President Tinubu on Tuesday rejected allegations of religious genocide in Nigeria, insisting that no faith community is under siege.
Speaking in Owerri, Imo State, at the launch of a book marking a decade of All Progressives Congress (APC) governance, Tinubu said such claims were unfounded and designed to sow division.
“Here, no faith is under siege, no community is excluded. Our churches, mosques, and traditional shrines stand side by side not as rivals, but as symbols of the unity that binds us,” the President declared at the Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu Convention Centre.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe remarks come amid growing criticism from human rights groups abroad and voices at home, who have accused the government of failing to adequately protect communities from sectarian violence.
Tinubu’s denial was therefore both a defence of his administration and a signal to international partners concerned about Nigeria’s human rights record.
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While in Imo, the President commissioned major projects, including the Owerri-Mbaise-Umuahia road, the Assumpta Twin Flyover, and the Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu Convention Centre moves widely seen as an effort to strengthen APC’s standing in the South-East, a region where the party has struggled for political acceptance.
Tinubu also used the platform to defend APC’s decade in power, crediting former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration with stabilising Nigeria through infrastructure investment and fiscal discipline. He acknowledged mistakes but insisted that the party had shifted the country’s trajectory away from collapse.
“APC may not be perfect, but we are purposeful. We will not allow Nigeria to return to the wasted years of drift,” he said.
Political analysts note that Tinubu’s speech served three purposes: rebutting international narratives about religious intolerance, showcasing tangible infrastructure to court South-East support, and framing APC’s record as proof of competence ahead of future elections.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio praised Tinubu’s student loan initiative, NELFUND, which he said had opened access to higher education for underprivileged Nigerians. Governor Hope Uzodimma, author of “A Decade of Leadership in Nigeria”, said increased federal allocations had enabled states to pursue more infrastructure and social investments.
By combining project commissioning with strong rhetoric on unity, Tinubu sought to reassure both domestic and international audiences that Nigeria’s diversity remains its strength, while positioning APC as the party of stability and renewal.
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