𝐏𝐃𝐏, 𝐍𝐍𝐏𝐏, 𝐂𝐔𝐏𝐏 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐛𝐮 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

Opposition parties have accused President Bola Tinubu of deploying state resources and anti-graft agencies to coerce their members into joining the All Progressives Congress, warning that the ruling party is on the brink of collapse despite its recent wave of defections.

Spokespersons for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) — Debo Ologunagba, Oladipo Johnson, and Mark Adebayo — said the influx of opposition figures into the APC was unsustainable and would soon cause internal turmoil.

They alleged that the APC was using government machinery to lure governors and lawmakers, including Akwa Ibom’s Umo Eno, Delta’s Sheriff Oborevwori, and former vice-presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa, who have all recently switched allegiance. Similar moves by Enugu’s Peter Mbah and Bayelsa’s Douye Diri, as well as Taraba’s Agbu Kefas, have intensified concerns about a one-party system emerging in Nigeria.

Reacting, APC’s Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, dismissed the claims, insisting that recent defections were voluntary and driven by the ruling party’s achievements. He described the APC as “well-structured and capable of managing its affairs without crisis.”

Ologunagba, however, maintained that the PDP remained Nigeria’s only true democratic party and predicted that “the APC will implode soon.” He said many defectors would eventually return, adding, “They will realize the APC does not serve citizens’ interests.”

Similarly, Johnson of the NNPP warned that the defection trend threatened the foundation of Nigeria’s democracy. “A proper opposition is essential. Once everyone drifts to the ruling party, democracy loses its essence. The PDP once had this same moment, and it eventually collapsed. History will repeat itself,” he said.

Adebayo of the CUPP echoed the same sentiment, cautioning that Nigeria’s democracy risked becoming a “one-party state with multiple factions” if the current trend continued unchecked.