Nigeria’s political scene is heating up as many opposition governors and lawmakers continue to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), sparking strong reactions from rival parties.
The defections have caused a war of words between the APC and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with both parties accusing each other of playing dirty ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The APC says politicians are joining its ranks because of President Bola Tinubu’s leadership and reform agenda.
“The reason they are defecting is simple. The lawmakers and the governors want to identify with us because of the good work the president is doing,” said APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu.
Arodiogbu said people understand that some hardship is expected at the beginning of reforms, but they believe in Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.”
He added, “The people defecting to the ruling party want to be among the winning team. They see the good things President Tinubu is doing.”
The APC denied claims that it is forcing opposition members to defect.
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Arodiogbu said, “How do you arm-twist a senator or a governor? Every governor, whether in the PDP or APC, receives the same allocation. Nobody has ever complained.”
He dismissed the idea that the APC might lose members before the 2027 election.
“We are not afraid of losing a single governor. Instead, we will gain more. Just wait and see what will happen in the next few months,” he said.
But the ADC strongly disagrees.
Speaking to reporters, ADC Interim National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi said the ruling party is using threats and intimidation to weaken the opposition.
“We have it on good authority what they are doing to many governors—punishing and intimidating them, even withholding their allocations,” Abdullahi said.
He also rejected the idea that having more governors guarantees electoral success.
“If the number of governors determines who wins an election, Goodluck Jonathan wouldn’t have lost in 2015,” he said.
Abdullahi stressed that the ADC is built on grassroots support, not big names, and predicted the party would play a major role in the 2027 elections.
“We are just starting, but in the coming months, you will see the kind of dynamic that will play out. Many influential senators, like Aminu Tambuwal and Tony Nwoye, are already in our alliance,” he said.