The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has refuted concerns that Nigeria is heading towards a one-party state, insisting that no political party can “capture” any region simply because a governor has defected to it.
Obi made this statement in Abuja while reacting to the recent defections of Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah and Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The former Anambra State governor, known for consistently promoting issue-based politics, argued that the belief that a political party can “capture” a state through the defection of its leader is a remnant of Nigeria’s military era.
“The people will decide where to go, not governors or senators. No party will capture or win any state just because it has a governor,” Obi said.
“Peter Mbah is a good friend of mine, and I believe that as governor, he must have taken his decision based on his own political views and calculations.”
Obi rejected suggestions that the South-East could be “captured” politically, maintaining that true democratic leadership is about persuasion and service, not coercion.
“As for the alleged plot to capture the South-East, we are not in a military time when you capture people.
“You are a leader. You tend to do the right things for them to follow you. So I don’t think anybody is capturing anywhere.”
He further urged public officials to prioritise good governance and implement policies that genuinely improve citizens’ lives, cautioning that no level of political realignment could secure people’s loyalty without tangible performance.
“The government needs to do more if it wants the people to support it,” he added.
Obi’s remarks come amid increasing political tension following a series of defections by opposition governors and lawmakers to the APC—moves that observers fear could push the nation closer to one-party dominance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
