Presidential officials have strongly defended the recent wave of high-profile defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that politicians are exercising their democratic rights rather than succumbing to pressure from President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The defense comes amid accusations from opposition parties that the presidency is orchestrating a strategic weakening of political rivals to consolidate power and potentially establish a one-party state ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Nigerians migrating to the APC and expressing support for Tinubu are doing so out of their free will, based on the belief that the reforms being executed are in the interest of Nigerians and the unborn generation,” declared Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, in a statement released Sunday titled ‘Democracy Strong and Alive in Nigeria.’
The presidency’s response follows a particularly significant political realignment in Delta State last Wednesday, when Governor Sheriff Oborevwori defected to the APC alongside his predecessor Ifeanyi Okowa, who notably served as the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections. The defection also included Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme, commissioners, and local government chairmen, dealing a substantial blow to PDP’s strength in the South-South region.
This mass exodus represents just the latest in a series of defections that have rocked opposition parties including the PDP, Labour Party, and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). These movements have intensified internal factional struggles within these parties, leaving them increasingly fragmented and raising questions about their capacity to mount effective challenges to the APC’s dominance.
Critics argue these defections reflect a carefully orchestrated strategy by the ruling party to systematically dismantle opposition structures before the next electoral cycle. However, Onanuga firmly rejected such characterizations, placing blame instead on opposition parties’ internal dysfunctions.
“The opposition cannot blame President Tinubu and the governing APC for their poor organisation, indiscipline, and gross incompetence in managing their affairs,” Onanuga asserted in his statement. “While the opposition elements are understandably heartbroken and disillusioned over the failure of their fabled grand coalition to gain traction, we find it disturbing that they resorted to peddling false allegations of the promotion of a one-party state against President Bola Tinubu, who is working very hard to reverse decades of economic mismanagement of our country.”
The presidency specifically countered allegations that the administration is employing coercive tactics against opposition figures, emphasizing that “accusations of bribery, blackmail, and the weaponisation of state institutions only exist in the idle minds” of political opponents who have “failed in their assigned duty of opposition.”
Political analysts note that the scale and frequency of defections present legitimate concerns about the health of Nigeria’s multiparty democracy. The migration of influential politicians with established voter bases undermines the opposition’s ability to provide necessary checks and balances to government power, potentially compromising a fundamental aspect of democratic governance.
However, the presidency maintains that political realignment is a natural democratic process, arguing that “democracy is not under threat or undermined simply because politicians exercise their rights of association.” This position frames the defections as reflections of public confidence in President Tinubu’s economic reform agenda rather than evidence of authoritarian tendencies.
“Contrary to the false claims in the sponsored propaganda materials in circulation across mainstream and social media, democracy is not under any threat in Nigeria. Accusations that the administration is moving towards authoritarianism are baseless and exaggerated,” the statement continued, adding that “no policy, official action, or directive from the Presidency seeks to ‘dismantle democracy’ or ‘weaken opposition or create a one-party state.'”
Political observers point out that party-switching has been a recurring feature in Nigeria’s democratic experience since the return to civilian rule in 1999. Politicians frequently realign based on calculations of personal advantage, regional interests, and assessments of which party offers better platforms for political advancement.
The current situation, however, reflects a particularly significant moment as the opposition appears increasingly fragmented at a time when Nigerians are grappling with economic challenges resulting from significant policy shifts including fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate reforms. These circumstances heighten the importance of robust opposition voices that can articulate alternative policy approaches and represent diverse constituencies.
The presidency’s stance suggests that rather than manipulating political actors, the administration believes its reform agenda is naturally attracting support from politicians who recognize the necessity of economic transformation, despite short-term difficulties these changes may present to their constituents.
As the political landscape continues to evolve ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle, questions remain about whether Nigeria’s opposition can reorganize effectively or if the trend toward APC dominance will continue, potentially reshaping the nature of political competition in Africa’s most populous democracy.
