As the 2027 elections near, President Bola Tinubu is consolidating power in Southern Nigeria through a wave of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), raising concerns about a potential one-party state. Enugu Governor Peter Mbah and Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri recently defected, with Mbah joined by his State Executive Council and Diri accompanied by 22 state lawmakers.
Speculation suggests Governors Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), Alex Otti (Abia), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), and Agbu Kefas (Taraba) may also join the APC, alongside northern governors.
Opposition leaders, including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, condemned the defections as self-serving, alleging the APC uses state institutions to coerce opposition figures. Atiku emphasized that Nigerians, facing economic hardship, will decide the 2027 outcome, while Obi dismissed fears of regional capture, stressing that voters, not governors, determine elections. The African Democratic Congress accused defecting governors of betraying citizens, predicting a 2027 showdown between the people and the APC.
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, a PDP member, justified his support for Tinubu, claiming the president’s leadership has empowered states financially. However, former Bayelsa Governor Seriake Dickson criticized Diri’s defection, warning that it undermines Nigeria’s plural democracy. In Enugu, PDP members vowed to rebuild, with leaders like Dr. Okey Ozoani questioning the benefits of Mbah’s move, citing high taxes and insecurity. The APC currently controls 11 of 17 southern states and 13 of 19 northern states, while the PDP holds six states nationwide.
