A Surge of Defections
From Enugu to Delta and Bayelsa, a stream of opposition leaders—Umo Eno, Sheriff Oborevwori, Ifeanyi Okowa, Peter Mbah, and Agbu Kefas—have switched to the APC in recent months.
Opposition coalitions now claim the defections are “not voluntary but engineered.”
Accusations of Coercion and Democratic Risk
Debo Ologunagba (PDP) alleged the presidency was “using state agencies to force compliance.”
Oladipo Johnson (NNPP) called the trend “bad for democracy.”
Mark Adebayo (CUPP) warned that Nigeria is sliding toward a “one-party dictatorship.”
“Their loyalty is not ideological; it’s proximity to power,” Adebayo said.
APC Denies, Counters With ‘Renewed Hope’
APC spokesman Bala Ibrahim dismissed the allegations, insisting defectors were attracted by President Tinubu’s “achievements and stability.”
“Our primaries are rancor-free. We do not coerce; we inspire,” he said.
Analysts predict internal tensions will rise once the APC becomes over-crowded with defectors competing for influence.
Political Market Saturation
The consolidation boosts APC’s bargaining power with investors and international partners seeking political predictability.
But the risk of implosion—if factions clash over power distribution—remains high.
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