Lofty promises allegedly by the Presidency and the national headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are some of the reasons why legislators, high ranking elective office holders and chieftains of other political parties are defecting to the ruling party, Daily Trust learnt.

In most of the instances, the defectors cite internal party wrangling or performance of the ruling government as reasons for dumping their political parties, under whose backs they rose to power.

Though political defections are not new in Nigeria’s democratic landscape, the rate and scale at which they have swept through the ranks of the opposition in recent months—less than two years into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration—have triggered growing concerns.

Many observers are now questioning the motives behind the wave of cross-carpeting, especially amid worsening economic conditions.

These concerns have been amplified by the belief that, given the severe economic crisis following President Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidy and the devaluation of the naira, and the worsening security situation, opposition leaders would rally together to present Nigerians with a viable alternative ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Yet, instead of strengthening the coalition efforts championed by former vice president and 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, the reverse has been the case.

Apart from the defection of the former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai and a few others from the ruling APC to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which is being touted as the potential vehicle for the coalition, the APC has been harvesting defections from the PDP and other opposition parties at an alarming rate.

The gale of defections has permeated the political terrain as already a serving governor has moved to the APC and others reportedly only marking time.

Besides, many legislators at the national and state levels have moved to the APC, while the number of ex-governors, deputies, former legislators, among others has continued to swell.

But beyond citing the problems in their parties, Daily Trust learnt from multiple sources that some of the defectors were allegedly approached with mouth-watering offers to defect.

The essence, according to our sources, is to improve the chances of President Tinubu to get a second term in 2027.

The carrots being offered

There are allegations that a lot of money is being shared to opposition politicians especially in the Senate and House of Representatives to defect to the APC.

The allegation is the same against some politicians seen as powerful in their constituencies even though they don’t hold any political office, either elective or appointive.

Daily Trust could not independently verify this claim, as the presidency, the APC and those who have defected have denied the allegation.

Besides alleged financial inducements, there are accusations that most of the legislators that have defected so far have been assured of automatic ticket to return to the National Assembly in 2027, irrespective of how long they have been in the hallowed chambers, or the level of their performance.

It was suspected that the same offer has been made for some first-time governors from the opposition parties.

So far, only the governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, has dumped the PDP, under whose back he rode to power in 2023, and joined the APC.

It is not clear whether the remaining opposition first-term governors would defect to the APC or not, but the actions and utterances of some of them showed that they are favourably disposed to what President Tinubu, and by extension the ruling party, are doing.

The first-time governors include Alex Oti (Labour Party, Abia), Umo Eno (PDP, Akwa Ibom), Peter Mba (PDP, Enugu), Abba Kabir Yusuf (NNPP, Kano), Caleb Mutfwang (PDP, Plateau), Siminalayi Fubara (PDP, Rivers), Agbu Kefas (PDP, Taraba) and Dauda Lawal (PDP, Zamfara).

Specifically for legislators at the National Assembly who are popular in their states, it was alleged that they are also being wooed with multi-billion naira projects, in addition to promises for automatic tickets for return.

But when contacted, some of them denied the allegations while others refused to talk at all. In retrospect, many of them during the announcement of their defections alleged that their former political parties were incurably enmeshed in crises and they have no option but to move on to the APC.

For instance, Senator Kawu Sumaila, who represents Kano South in the Senate under the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), is one of those who recently migrated to the APC.

Soon after his defection, rumours were rife that he defected to the ruling party because he was given a project worth over N90 billion to reactivate some dams in Kano under the Ecological Fund.

When asked during an exclusive interview with the Daily Trust to comment on this allegation, Kawu Sumaila said the projects approved for his senatorial zone were true, but that they were awarded long before he and other legislators from Kano defected to the APC.

He also said there was no any condition attached to their movement to the APC or the dam projects in question.

He added that the contract, which was approved by the federal government to the tune of over N90 billion, was not influenced by him alone, or awarded directly to him, saying they worked together with some members of the House of Representatives to attract the project.

“We influenced it (the constituency project) for our people. I am not a journalist. I am a representative of the people. I made promises during my campaign—one of them being to revitalise the agricultural and irrigation systems in Kano South. Our region has three major dams—Tiga and Challawa among them—which are among the largest in West Africa. These dams even support irrigation in parts of Kano Central, Yobe, Bauchi, and up to Maiduguri.

“For instance, Challawa in Karaye has been idle for 34 to 35 years after its completion. Reactivating it would impact at least 30,000 people.

“So, as a responsible representative, should I reject that kind of opportunity just because of political party differences? Should I say no to a project that benefits my people simply because of alphabetical differences in party names?” he asked.

In Katsina State, the only three members of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the opposition PDP have defected to the ruling APC.

They are Hon. Salisu Yusuf Majigiri, representing Mashi/Dutsi federal constituency; Abdullahi Balarabe Dabai, representing Bakori/Danja, and Hon. Aliyu Ilyasu, representing Batsari/Safana/Danmusa federal constituency.

Both Dabai’s and Ilyasu’s phone numbers seem to be on call forwarding for days, such that they could only receive calls from the numbers they have saved. And the messages of inquiry sent to them yesterday on the allegations that they were influenced with either financial inducement, contracts, or automatic tickets, were not replied as at the time of filing this report.

For Hon. Majigiri, who picked up his call yesterday, he said he was about to collect his membership card of the APC at his political ward and would not be able to respond to the inquiry.

However, a former PDP ward chairman, Manawa ward of Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State, Sani Muhammad popularly known as “I know”, told our reporter that he dropped his leadership position in the APC and defected with his house member.

“Actually, he (Hon. Ilyasu) defected to the APC before even consulting us, but the moment he called me to intimate me about the move, I decided to move with him, so I defected also.

“It is indeed the crisis in the PDP, especially in Katsina State, that forced him to leave.  He is not the kind of person who likes crisis. We have not heard of any inducement, but we know that the APC were calling them to join them, so he decided to join,” he said.

In Kebbi, prior to the defections of Senators Adamu Aliero, Dr. Yahaya Abdullahi and Musa Mai Doki to the APC at the floor of the Senate Chambers in Abuja, plans for their movement started last year in Birnin Kebbi when Senator Aliero nominated some known political figures considered as his foot soldiers to dialogue with the APC-led administration under Governor Nasir Idris on alleged sharing formula for elective and appointive offices.

The group, led by his junior brother, Alhaji Abba Aliero, had met with Governor Idris and other APC chieftains at the Government House chambers in Birnin Kebbi where they discussed the modalities for their defection to the ruling party.

After coming out of the meeting, Abba Aliero said they were invited for a tete-a-tete, and the public would be informed of whatever decision was reached later.

He said “We, the supporters of Senator Aliero were summoned to a friendly discussion with His Excellency, Governor Idris, which we obliged. We sought for time to return to our constituencies for further consultations with our grassroots supporters before deciding on the best course of action.”

On his part, Dr Yahaya Abdullahi has been in the Senate since 2015. Up till the time of filing this report, Dr Abdullahi has not responded to calls to comment on the alleged reasons why he defected to the APC.

However, Abdullahi had earlier offered a more nuanced rationale for his defection. He recalled his resignation from the APC in June 2022, when he also stepped down as the 9th Senate Leader, following political disagreements in his state.

According to him, those disagreements had since been resolved under the current Kebbi governor’s leadership.

“For me, this is a homecoming. It is also politically imperative that I join President Bola Tinubu,” he added.

In Zamfara, there are allegations that the likes of Senator Ikra Bilbis, who represents Zamfara Central in the 10th National Assembly on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), would defect.

But in an interview with the Daily Trust, Senator Bilbis debunked the claim even though he admitted that he had succeeded in attracting projects to his people under the Tinubu administration.

“I’m not one of them (defectors). I’m not thinking about that. That’s not my priority,” he said.

When asked if he had attracted any project to his senatorial district, he said, “Of course. Have you forgotten? Recently, my bill has passed; it has gone through all the legislative processes from the Senate to the House of Representatives, and Mr President has even assented to the bill. That is the establishment of the Federal University of Health, Science and Technology.”

But when told that there were allegations that these are some of the things that the president is using to induce legislators, he said, “No. To be honest with you, to be fair to him, he has not even seen me.”

Rep. Adamu Tanko representing Suleja/Gurara/Tafa of Niger State, who defected from the PDP to the APC, denied being promised anything in return for his defection. He said it was out of his personal conviction and what he thought was the best for his people.

Rep. Tanko defected earlier in March alongside Rep. Husseini Mohammed Jallo, the member representing Igabi Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, who also joined the APC.

Rep. Tanko who spoke to Daily Trust over the phone on Sunday, said, “There was no promise of anything. There was none.”

Similarly, Donatus Matthew representing Kaura federal Constituency of Kaduna State, who dumped Labour Party (LP) for the ruling APC in February, also dismissed purported reports about enticing him with automatic ticket or any other thing by the ruling party.

The lawmaker, who also spoke to our reporter on phone, on Sunday, said the reports were mere political speculations. He told our reporter to contact the leadership of the ruling APC about whether or not there was any promise.

“Please, ask the leadership of the APC. That is the best place to get the answer to what you are asking. Thanks you,” he said.

It could be recalled that as at last week, 30 members of the House have defected since the inauguration of the 10th Assembly.

Out of the 30 that defected, 27 left the PDP, Labour Party (LP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the NNPP and joined the ruling APC while one left LP and joined PDP. Two left LP and joined APGA.

There’s no coercion – Senate leader

Amid the backlash trailing the gale of defections, particularly the fears of a creeping one-party state, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, dismissed claims that the APC was coercing or inducing opposition lawmakers to defect.

Bamidele insisted that the decisions were voluntary and motivated by the spirit of national unity.

He described the senators’ defections as an act of patriotism and a necessary step toward building a cohesive front to address Nigeria’s deepening economic and security challenges.

“This is the time for all of us to work together to take Nigeria to the next level,” he stated, urging political actors to eschew grandstanding and focus on collaborative governance.

Bamidele also pushed back against the narrative that the APC was plotting a one-party state, maintaining that the defections should rather be seen as an alignment of political forces toward a government of national unity, not an attempt to suffocate the opposition.

His comments, however, have done little to calm fears among critics and civil society organisations who insist that the pattern of defections, coupled with statements by APC leaders such as Ganduje, reflect a broader agenda to entrench the ruling party’s dominance ahead of the 2027 polls.

They’re moving to realise their ambitions – APC

Contacted for a response to the allegations, the APC National Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, told Daily Trust yesterday that the defectors were joining the ruling party to realise their political ambitions.

He said those who defected to the ruling party felt they couldn’t achieve their ambitions in their former parties, stressing that APC has done no wrong in providing them the platform to thrive.

Ibrahim, who challenged those making the allegations to provide proof, said “People go into politics for a purpose, and in achieving that, you look for the right vehicle to convey you.

“If you get that vehicle, you won’t care or worry about how you get there; the most important thing is to actualise your dream through that vehicle.

“If the APC is providing the platform for them to actualise their ambitions, I don’t see anything wrong with that in politics. People change camps in politics.

“If you are in a camp where you feel your vision will be frustrated, where you feel there won’t be a level-playing field, you move to where there is going to be democratic demonstration of a level-playing field. That is the purpose of politics,” he said.

Villa mum

The Presidency is yet to comment on the latest allegations of inducing politicians to defect.  Efforts to reach out to Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the president on Information and Strategy were not successful as he was said to be in Rome.

Also, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, could not be reached, and he was yet to respond to a WhatsApp message sent to him.

Earlier in April, the presidency had denied pushing for a one-party state, insisting that defections were voluntary.

It insisted that democracy under President Tinubu remained vibrant and unthreatened.

In a statement titled “Democracy Strong and Alive in Nigeria,” Onanuga rejected accusations that the Tinubu administration was edging towards authoritarianism through an orchestrated wave of defections.

Reaching out to second-term govs?

Daily Trust also learnt that the support of first-time governors and those who are serving their second term, irrespective of party leaning, is also being sought after, considering their control of party structures in their states, among other advantages.

But a source said the APC-led government is not actually fixated that the governors should be lured to its fold.

“As we all know, the ultimate goal is for the APC to have the majority of votes, especially in the presidential election during the next election. Therefore, the other kite that is being flown by those pushing for the Tinubu second-term bid is for the first-time governors to give a serious commitment that they would support the president to win.

“Once they keep to their words, they would also be supported in different ways to win their second term. This could be through big federal government projects through the budget or other interventions.

“They would be given the right of first refusal by the party. It is almost the same thing with the legislators. They would be supported through various means to win their primaries and the main election,” he said.

On second-term governors, another source said, “Even though most of them might not want to defect at this time, they, nonetheless, want to remain relevant in the scheme of things.”

“While some of them would like to go to the Senate, others would not want to be disturbed with questions after leaving office on May 29, 2027…So, the kite being thrown at them is to support the APC project so that at the end of the day, it will be a win-win situation,” the source said.

The second-term opposition governors are Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (PDP, Adamawa), Bala Mohammed (PDP, Bauchi) and Seyi Makinde (PDP, Oyo).

Second-term governors who are members of the APC are Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), AbdulRahman AbdulRazak (Kwara), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Babagana Zulum (Borno) and Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), amongst others.

First-term governors who are members of the APC includes but not limited to Ahmad Aliyu (Sokoto), Dikko Umaru Radda (Katsina), Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), Uba Sani (Kaduna), Bassey Otu (Cross River), Nasir Idris (Kebbi) and Umar Bago (Niger)

Govs not under duress – Gombe gov

When contacted by one of our correspondents on whether they were influenced by President Tinubu or the National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the Chairman of Northern Governors Forum and governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya, who commented through his spokesman, Ismaila Misilli, said there is no governor that is under pressure from any quarter.

“Our governor, who is the chairman of the northern governors and a strong member of the APC, has said it again and again that they are not under any influence,” he said.

“He has told the BBC in a recent interview, and I want to repeat what he said. Yes, big wigs are defecting and they would continue to defect to our party because of the good work we are all doing at the state level and at the national level.

“There is no directive or suggestion from the presidency for the governors to forcefully influence the defection of anybody. And there is no arrangement that the governors would be supported to have their way.

“However, what is certain is that the governors are on the same page with the president. Those that are joining the APC are simply being appreciative of the wonderful things the president and the governors are doing,” he said.

Asked if they are not scared that the party might implode at the end of the day, considering that those that are defecting mostly have the ambition of contesting for offices that are currently occupied by other politicians, Misilli said, “The APC structure is big enough to accommodate everyone. We have the federal government and we have many states, there is no problem at all.

“APC is a big house for everyone, and it is not about entrenching a one-party state; it is about providing good governance for the citizens which is gradually becoming visible.”

The most striking of the defections

The most striking of these defections was the movement of Atiku’s 2023 running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, and Delta State Governor Oborevwori, alongside the entire PDP structure in Delta State, to the APC.

This cascade of defections soon extended to the Senate, where apart from Kawu Sumaila, formerly of the NNPP, three PDP senators from Kebbi State— Aliero (Kebbi Central), Abdullahi (Kebbi North) and Maidoki (Kebbi South)—also crossed over to the ruling party.

They were not the first. Earlier, Senators Ned Nwoko (Delta North), Francis Onyewuchi (Imo East), and the late Ifeanyi Ubah (Anambra South) had defected from the PDP, Labour Party (LP), and Young Progressives Party (YPP), respectively.

Onyewuchi, who was among the earliest defectors in July 2024, attributed his decision to the deepening factional disputes within the LP at both national and state levels. Similarly, in February 2025, Nwoko cited entrenched divisions within the PDP as his reason for embracing the APC.

Fractured opposition and unresolved leadership crises

At the heart of these defections lies the deepening disarray within Nigeria’s leading opposition parties. In the PDP, the leadership crisis festering since the fallout of the 2023 presidential election has remained unresolved, leaving the party fractured along regional and factional lines.

The prolonged stay of acting national chairman, Umar Damagum, and the crisis over the national secretary’s position deepened by the persistent push-and-pull between the camps loyal to Atiku Abubakar and Rivers State’s former governor, Nyesom Wike, have further weakened the party’s unity and national appeal.

Efforts to convene a decisive National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting have been consistently stalled, fuelling suspicions of deliberate sabotage by entrenched interests keen on maintaining the status quo. The power struggle in the PDP has not only paralysed decision-making at the national level but also trickled down to the states, with many local chapters thrown into chaos.

The Labour Party has faced its own internal crisis. The party, which rode on the popularity of Peter Obi in 2023 to secure seats in the National Assembly, has since become engulfed in leadership tussles at both national and state levels creating a fertile ground for aggrieved lawmakers to jump ship.

Similarly, the NNPP, once projected as an emerging third force, has been battling bitter supremacy wars between its presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and other key stakeholders, leading to multiple court cases and leadership squabbles.

For many lawmakers, these crises have provided both a pretext and a political shield for their defections as internal crisis within a party is the only reason recognised by the constitution as grounds for defection.

Experts blame lack of ideology, rising materialism for defections

Meanwhile, political experts and civic groups have attributed the spate of defections to the ruling APC to a deep-rooted absence of political ideology within Nigeria’s party system, warning that the trend poses grave risks to the country’s democratic health.

Professor Tunde Adeniran, a political scientist and former Minister of Education, told Daily Trust that the unchecked appetite for material gains and the vacuum of ideological commitment among political actors have been major drivers of the ongoing defections.

“There is the rush at different levels and by various politicians to join the ruling party because of lack of ideology,” Adeniran said, adding that “Ideology should ordinarily serve as a compass to guide members of the political class and their followers. In its absence, the majority of politicians act without integrity, principles, or value-guided direction. They are, therefore, prompted by materialism in their actions.”

Echoing similar concerns, renowned political analyst, Professor Kamilu Sani Fage, described the defections as a reflection of Nigeria’s transactional politics, where political parties are seen merely as platforms for personal ambition rather than vehicles for ideological pursuits.

“It is always an easy decision for politicians in Nigeria to switch parties because most of them only see political parties as vehicles to achieve personal ambitions,” Fage observed.

“It is difficult to identify parties based on manifestos or ideologies, which makes it easier for politicians to move freely from opposition to ruling parties, and vice versa. Because of these personal goals and the lack of ideology, most politicians find it difficult to remain in the opposition,” he said.

Further amplifying the concerns, the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) warned that the mass defections, particularly from the National Assembly, were eroding political pluralism and risking a slide toward one-party dominance.

CHRICED’s Executive Director, Comrade Ibrahim Zikirullahi, while addressing a recent press briefing, acknowledged the constitutional right of politicians to associate freely but raised alarm that the current wave of defections was endangering Nigeria’s democratic equilibrium.

“This mass defection is gradually turning the country into a one-party state,” Zikirullahi warned. “Such a scenario diminishes the effectiveness of opposition parties, stifles political discourse, and limits the electorate’s choices.”

He cited the crisis in Rivers State, where the defection of 27 lawmakers loyal to the immediate past governor, Nyesom Wike, has plunged the state into political turmoil, creating a ripple effect that has emboldened further defections at the national level.

“This shift raises significant concerns about the health of Nigeria’s democracy and the principles of political pluralism,” Zikirullahi added.

Ganduje’s comments fuel fears of one-party dominance

Amid the wave of defections, comments by APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, have further heightened fears of a creeping one-party agenda. Ganduje, a former Kano State governor, openly boasted that the APC was on course to becoming the only viable political platform in the country, as more opposition politicians continue to defect to the ruling party.

Ganduje’s remarks, delivered during various defection ceremonies and most recently after he and the three Kebbi senators had a meeting with President Tinubu, have been widely interpreted as a confirmation of the APC’s strategic plan to weaken the opposition ahead of 2027, consolidating its grip on the political space.

Civil society groups and pro-democracy activists have since raised the alarm over the implications of Ganduje’s comments, warning that a lopsided political environment could erode democratic competition and further stifle dissent.

Critics point out that while party-switching is a familiar feature of Nigeria’s politics, the current pattern of mass defections—coupled with the ruling party’s overt declarations—could tip the country towards de facto one-party dominance, with all its attendant risks to electoral integrity, accountability and democratic vibrancy.

Power dynamics that could boomerang on APC

Yet, beneath the euphoria of the APC’s growing influence lies the undercurrent of festering internal rivalries that could, if not carefully managed, undermine the party’s cohesion in key states. Former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, is one the key proponents of this viewpoint.

Nowhere is this undercurrent more evident than in Kebbi and Delta, where the struggle for supremacy among the APC’s power blocs threatens to fracture the party from within.

In Kebbi State, the recent defection of the three PDP senators, including political heavyweight Aliero, is believed to have rekindled an old rivalry between Aliero and former Governor Atiku Bagudu, who currently serves as Minister of Budget and Economic Planning. The two leaders, both founding fathers of the APC in Kebbi, fell out during the 2022 primaries, leading Aliero to defect to the PDP and contest the senatorial seat.

While Aliero has now returned to the APC, analysts say the wounds from their bitter 2022 showdown remain fresh, with both camps still jostling for dominance. There are fears that if the national leadership fails to broker a genuine reconciliation, Kebbi APC could once again implode ahead of 2027, especially with Aliero still commanding significant grassroots loyalty across the state.

In Delta, the dynamics are even more complex. The defection of Governor Oborevwori, alongside the entire PDP structure, into the APC was seen as a political masterstroke by the ruling party. However, the move has set the stage for an intense turf war within the Delta APC, pitting Oborevwori against his former arch-rival and APC 2023 governorship candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

Sources within the party say while both leaders may currently project a united front, their underlying mistrust and competition for the party’s control—especially in anticipation of 2027—could destabilise the APC in the state. Oborevwori’s entry into the APC has also reignited the political influence of former Governor James Ibori, a political ally of President Tinubu, who is believed to be working behind the scenes to protect his loyalists and retain relevance within the new power structure.

This three-way contest between Oborevwori, Omo-Agege and the Ibori political family has already polarised the party’s grassroots, with many warning that unless the national leadership steps in early to harmonise the interests of the various factions, the APC may suffer the same fate that befell the PDP in 2023, when its internal disunity paved the way for APC’s gains in the state.

Thus, while the APC may appear to be consolidating power at the national level, the emerging internal rivalries in strategic states like Kebbi and Delta could pose significant headaches for the party, if not carefully managed ahead of the 2027 general elections.

[DailyTrust]