A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and political affairs analyst, Dr. George Agbakahi, has attributed the wave of defections from opposition parties to the ruling APC to the “sterling performance” of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the collapsing structures of the opposition.
Speaking on an Arise Television current affairs programme monitored in Abuja, Dr. Agbakahi, who serves as the South East leader of the Tinubu Support Organization and a member of the 2023 Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) Media and Publicity Directorate, said many governors and lawmakers joining the APC are doing so out of political survival and ideological alignment.
According to him, “Defection in politics is not new, not in Nigeria and not even in the United States whose democracy we emulate. Realignment and reconfiguration are part of multi-party systems.”
He recalled that political crossovers had existed since Nigeria’s Second Republic, citing instances like the defection of former Kano State Governor Abubakar Rimi from the PRP to the NPP, and movements witnessed at the end of the Olusegun Obasanjo administration in 2007.
“All these governors or lawmakers defecting to the ruling APC are not doing anything unusual. This has been happening for decades,” Agbakahi said.
The APC chieftain also referenced Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, noting that lawmakers are legally justified in defecting if their parties are in crisis.
“That’s why you’ve never seen any court remove a senator or member of the House of Representatives for defecting when their party is in turmoil,” he explained.
Dr. Agbakahi argued that the latest defections — especially in Enugu State, where Governor Peter Mbah reportedly moved with his political structure and predecessors — reflect public confidence in President Tinubu’s administration.
“This shows endorsement of the President’s renewed hope agenda. The economy is stabilizing — inflation has dropped to around 18.12%, our reserves have risen to $43 billion, and there’s a trade surplus. Nigerians are beginning to see the results,” he stated.
He further noted that the APC’s influence in the South East has deepened, with the party now entrenched in Enugu, Ebonyi, and Imo States, while Anambra and Abia governors, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and Dr. Alex Otti, have expressed willingness to work with the President.
Dr. Agbakahi dismissed claims that defectors were motivated by personal interest or lack of ideology, describing opposition parties like the PDP and Labour Party as “sinking ships” plagued by leadership crises.
“The PDP has been on life support — no convention, no unity, always in court. The Labour Party isn’t better, with Abure and Nenadi Usman fighting for control. Politicians can’t build their future on instability,” he said.
The APC leader also praised Tinubu’s economic reforms, claiming that prices of food items and staples are beginning to drop as a result of government policies.
“A bag of rice now sells for about ₦62,000 compared to ₦84,000 last year. Garri has dropped from ₦1,600 to ₦1,100 per ‘moodu’. The market is responding. That’s why more leaders are coming into APC — because progress is visible,” Agbakahi maintained.
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