Opposition political parties, especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and the Labour Party (LP), are bleeding as some of their prominent members have dumped their platforms for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Concerned by the wave of defections to the APC, the PDP, NNPP, and the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) have accused the APC-led Federal Government of exploiting state resources to coerce their members and other politicians into switching allegiance.
In response, the APC welcomed the defectors and dismissed the claims from the PDP and NNPP as unfounded, asserting that politicians are willingly joining the party because of the significant achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope administration.
Recall that an exclusive report by The PUNCH on February 18 revealed that over 300 PDP members defected to the APC between February 2024 and February 2025, citing internal conflicts within the party at both the state and national levels as the main reason for their departure.
Likewise, the NNPP and Labour Party have also experienced a notable wave of defections to the APC, with many members pointing to internal disputes and other related issues as their reasons.
On Wednesday, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor and PDP’s 2023 Vice Presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa, along with all party members in the state, officially defected to the APC. The announcement was delivered in Asaba by Senator James Manager following a marathon meeting that lasted over six hours at the Government House.
Manager stated, “All PDP members in the state, including the Governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, all the local government chairmen and others, have agreed to move to the APC. We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat.”
The Delta State Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, formally confirmed the governor’s defection, along with the unified decision of Delta PDP leaders and stakeholders to join the APC.
“There is a need for us to adjust the drinking pattern. And in adjusting that drinking pattern, we needed to make a decision that would further help to cement development in our state, to build the court of law that has existed in our state, to further advance the cause of security and the welfare of our people, and to a large extent, ensure that development in Delta is not truncated,” Aniagwu stated.
He added, “In taking that decision, we concluded that leaving the PDP was necessary for us to be able to collaborate and build a state that every Deltan will be proud of. We believe that what is happening, and the state of the PDP, is akin to that palm wine whose taste has changed, and there was a need for us to change the drinking party.”
Charles stated that the decision was reached unanimously by party leaders and stakeholders, indicating that an official public announcement would be made soon. “By the grace of God, on Monday next week, we will be able to make a very big statement confirming that we are moving into the APC,” he said.
Also, the Senator representing Kano South Senatorial District, Kawu Sumaila, on Wednesday officially confirmed his defection from the NNPP to the ruling APC. His clarification, contained in a statement via his Facebook page, ended weeks of intense political speculation over his future in the NNPP.
The Senator hinged his decision on the need to be fully committed to his constituents, which he claimed remained his top priority. “Yes, it is true, the rumours regarding my defection are accurate. All politics is local, and my primary concern has always been, and remains, the welfare of my immediate constituency. I am resolutely determined to advance the lives of my people, ensuring their needs are met and their future is secured.”
His exit has also fuelled rumours that the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and former presidential candidate of the NNPP, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, may return to the APC.
In another related development, a long-serving member of the House of Representatives, Oluwole Oke, announced his resignation from the PDP. Oke, who represents Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency, Osun State, announced his resignation in a letter dated April 16, 2025, addressed to the Chairman of PDP Ward 7, Obokun Local Government Area.
The letter read, “I wish to formally notify you that I am resigning my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party with immediate effect. This was concluded after consultation and engagement with my political associates, family, and friends. It is my wish that you accept my resignation in good faith.”
The letter was copied to the National and Osun State Chairmen of the party. In a brief phone conversation with a correspondent, the lawmaker, who appeared to be in no mood for an interview, anchored his decision on the division in his party. “PDP is divided,” he said, without further elaboration.
Similarly, the Special Adviser to Governor Monday Okpebholo on Political Mobilisation and Engagement, Eugene Utubor, stated on Wednesday that LP Senator Neda Imasuen is on the verge of defecting to the APC. Utubor, who met with Imasuen on Tuesday night in Benin, said the lawmaker was open to joining the APC and that efforts were underway to strengthen the party’s ranks both nationally and in the state.
He said, “I can tell you that Senator Neda Imasuen will join the All Progressives Congress in the coming days. I was with him on Tuesday, and his body language speaks volumes. Imasuen believes that the governor has done remarkably well in such a short time and it is crucial that we come together to ensure the success of his vision for our people. He has encouraged every well-meaning Edo citizen to rally around the governor.”
In recent times, Imasuen has often been seen in public functions alongside notable APC leaders in Edo State. He is said to enjoy a cordial relationship with members of the ruling party in the state.
In addition to the recent defections, several prominent figures had earlier joined the APC. These include former Kaduna State Governor Muktar Ramalan Yero; Senators Shehu Sani, Suleiman Hunkuyi, and Sylvanus Ngele; former Senate President Pius Anyim; ex-Edo Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu; House of Representatives member Suleiman Gumi; and PDP founding member Shuibu Oyedokun. Others include Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North), Omosede Igbinedion, Kabiru Classic, Salisu Garba, and Abuja Municipal Area Council Chairman Christopher Maikalangu.
From the NNPP, Yusuf Galambi, who represents Gwaram Federal Constituency in Jigawa, has also defected to the APC. He is joined by several local government chairmen, councillors, and party officials. Key NNPP leaders, including Senator Sulaiman Kawu Sumaila (Kano South), Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, Ali Madaki, and Hon. Badamasi Ayuba, have met with APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and are expected to make their defection official soon.
With the 2027 elections approaching, multiple sources indicate that three PDP governors and NNPP National Leader Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso have struck a deal with President Tinubu and are likely to join the APC in the near future.
One source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Based on their actions and silence, as well as the way some governors have openly praised President Tinubu’s administration, it’s clear that a few of them are likely to join the APC soon. I wouldn’t be surprised if the governors of Adamawa, Taraba, Akwa Ibom, and even the NNPP National Leader, Rabiu Kwankwaso, eventually defect.”
In response, PDP Deputy National Youth Leader Timothy Osadolor criticised the recent defections, saying they serve personal interests rather than national progress.
The Politics Behind the Numbers
While the APC is keen to portray the defections as validation of President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, critics argue that what is unfolding is less about performance and more about political self-preservation.
Since 1999, Nigeria’s political elite have often prioritized access to federal power over party ideology or grassroots loyalty. In a country where the executive wields disproportionate control over resources, regulatory agencies, and patronage networks, opposition politics can be a risky endeavor.
This risk becomes especially acute when the ruling party has an incumbent president. With control over federal appointments, contracts, and prosecutorial powers, the temptation, or coercion, to align with the ruling party becomes potent. As one analyst put it:
“When survival becomes the primary ideology, conscience is the first casualty.”
Weaponization of Institutions?
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The opposition’s most serious allegation is that key anti-corruption and intelligence agencies, the EFCC, ICPC, and DSS, are being used as instruments of political control. These institutions, rather than acting purely in the public interest, are alleged to be deployed selectively: pursuing opposition figures while turning a blind eye to allied corruption.
Though the APC denies this, the pattern is telling. Many high-profile defections are preceded by either investigations, public scrutiny, or prolonged legal entanglements. Once the individual crosses to the APC, the noise often dies down. This has bred the widespread perception that joining the ruling party is a form of political amnesty.
Ironically, the APC had made similar accusations against the PDP before coming to power in 2015.
2027: An Election or a Coronation?
With three governors, dozens of legislators, and political heavyweights already defecting or rumoured to be in talks with the APC, the question arises: Is Nigeria heading into the 2027 elections with a de facto one-party state?
Such a scenario would weaken checks and balances, marginalize opposition voices, and diminish the quality of political competition. In turn, voters may be left with fewer choices, between factions of the same elite, rather than between distinct visions for national progress.
It also threatens the Charter of Equity, power rotation, and regional representation. If defections continue unabated, some regions and zones may become politically irrelevant, lacking negotiating power in national discourse.
A Call for Democratic Renewal
The challenge ahead is not just for the opposition, but for Nigeria’s democracy as a whole. The 2023 elections already raised concerns over voter suppression, INEC credibility, and judicial compromises. Now, with mass defections threatening political pluralism, civic groups, youth organizations, and independent media must rise to the occasion.
Nigeria’s electorate, 70% of whom are under 35, deserve more than recycled narratives and recycled defectors. They deserve issue-based campaigns, credible parties with distinct ideologies, and candidates who are accountable.
For that to happen, reforms must begin now:
- Strengthen internal democracy in parties to reduce factional crises;
- Decentralize party financing to reduce the influence of godfathers;
- Reform prosecutorial independence to shield anti-corruption institutions from executive control;
- Empower INEC and civil society to monitor party switching and regulate campaign conduct.
Final Word: The Battle Ahead
The 2027 elections are not just about who wins power. They will determine whether Nigeria continues its slide into a transactional, personality-driven democracy or pivots toward an issue-driven, citizen-centered political culture.
As the saying goes, when the music changes, so must the dance. But in today’s Nigeria, it seems the tune is always set by those in power, and the dance, for now, is one of survival.
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