A visiting Professor at Taraba State University, Jalingo, Prof. Jonah Onuoha, has alleged that the ongoing wave of defections from opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is driven by fear of political failure and anti-graft prosecution ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking in Jalingo at the weekend, Onuoha — who also serves as the Director, Centre for American Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) — said the mass defections reflect the absence of genuine political ideology among Nigerian politicians.
“These politicians are looking for a platform where they can win elections in 2027 and also where agencies like the EFCC will not come after them during or after their tenures,” he said.
“The defections are simply a survival strategy. Many believe that once they join the ruling party, their interests are protected and their sins are forgiven.”
Onuoha warned that the trend could cripple the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and push Nigeria dangerously close to a one-party system by 2027.
He cited the defection of Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah and the entire PDP structure in the state to the APC as a major blow to the opposition.
“It is indisputable that there are internal crises in the PDP, but if members remain dedicated and believe in the party’s ideology, the problems can be resolved before the 2027 elections,” he added.
Backing Onuoha’s position, Dr. Chinedu Ejezie, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science, UNN, condemned the defection trend, saying that good governance and political success are not tied to the ruling party.
Ejezie dismissed claims that governors defect to “connect their states to the centre,” arguing that federal allocations have continued to flow to all states without discrimination since President Bola Tinubu assumed office.
“Even with the removal of fuel subsidy, federal allocations to states have increased significantly. No state has been denied its share because it belongs to the opposition,” he said.
Ejezie praised governors like Alex Otti (Abia, Labour Party), Charles Soludo (Anambra, APGA), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo, PDP) for delivering good governance without switching parties.
“Some governors in the ruling party are not performing well, which shows that being connected to the centre is no guarantee for progress,” he added.
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