The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has claimed that the recent defections of the Enugu and Bayelsa State governors to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) confirm its long-standing warning that President Bola Tinubu is intent on turning Nigeria into a one-party state.
The party made this allegation in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, describing the defections as a betrayal of public trust and a dangerous development for the nation’s democracy.
According to the ADC, although the defections might appear to strengthen the APC, they actually signify a setback for democracy and an intentional attempt by the ruling party to weaken opposition voices and centralise power.
“The recent defections by the governors of Enugu and Bayelsa States to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) validate the African Democratic Congress (ADC)’s long-standing warning that President Bola Tinubu is determined to turn Nigeria into a one-party state, no matter the cost to democracy or national stability,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC accused the defected governors of abandoning their people to align with a government that, in its words, has made life ‘miserable’ for most Nigerians.
“While it may seem like the APC has added more governors to its column, in reality, what has happened is these governors have actually abandoned their people to team up with the ruling party that has made life miserable for the majority,” the ADC added.
The party said Nigerians are already witnessing the failures of the APC administration in areas such as security, economic stability, and social welfare.
“Nigerians can see the current state of the nation. They live through the APC’s failures every single day. Even those who once campaigned for the APC or had its logo on their social media profiles now avoid association with the party,” Abdullahi said.
He further stated that the Tinubu administration had failed across key areas of governance, including security, the economy, healthcare, anti-corruption, and foreign relations.
“Every day, Nigerians are paying the price for these failures. Food prices continue to increase, jobs are nonexistent, and insecurity continues to choke every part of the country,” the ADC stated.
The party condemned the defected governors for what it called an act of historic ‘political apostasy,’ accusing them of abandoning their responsibilities as opposition leaders who should have defended the people and presented alternative governance solutions.
“When the ruling party has misgoverned the country, the only hope for the people in a democracy is for the opposition to rise up in defense, propose alternative ideas, and lead the people out of their misery. Instead, they abdicated. And in an act of historic political apostasy, they chose to join the grand conspiracy against the Nigerian people,” the party said.
The ADC, however, insisted that despite the defections, the opposition coalition remains resolute, adding that the distinction between those committed to national recovery and those driven by self-interest has become more evident.
“While the ruling party continues to celebrate the defection of these governors, the ADC and the opposition coalition are equally delighted that the line has been made even clearer between those who are committed to saving the country and those who merely want to join the gravy train,” the ADC stated.
Abdullahi concluded by asserting that the 2027 general elections would not simply be a political contest but a defining confrontation between the Nigerian populace and what he described as ‘Tinubu’s gang of governors.’
“The people can see, and they are waiting. 2027 will be a clear battle between the people of Nigeria and President Tinubu and his gang of governors in the APC,” he said.
