The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised alarm over the recent defections of the governors of Enugu and Bayelsa States to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), warning that President Bola Tinubu is gradually turning Nigeria into a one-party state.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Thursday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the defections as a betrayal of the people’s trust and a dangerous trend for Nigeria’s democratic future.
“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 opposition party expressed deep concern over what it sees as a deliberate effort by the Tinubu administration to weaken the opposition, silence dissenting voices, and consolidate political power in the hands of one party.
According to the ADC, while the defections may appear as political wins for the APC, they are actually a loss for Nigeria’s democracy and further proof of the ruling party’s disregard for multi-party governance.
Abdullahi said the defected governors have turned their backs on the people who elected them and aligned with a government that, in the ADC’s view, has made life more difficult for the majority of Nigerians.
“Nigerians are already suffering under this government. Insecurity is everywhere, food prices are rising every day, jobs are hard to find, and public services like healthcare and education are collapsing,” the statement read.
The ADC accused the Tinubu-led APC government of failing in almost every area of governance, including economic management, anti-corruption efforts, national security, and foreign policy. It argued that instead of fixing these problems, the government is more focused on absorbing opposition politicians and suppressing political competition.
“Every day, Nigerians are paying the price for these failures,” the party stated.
The party also questioned the motives of the defecting governors, suggesting that their decisions were based on political survival and personal ambition rather than the interests of their constituents.
“This kind of political behaviour undermines the will of the people. People voted for you under one party’s manifesto and promises, but you turn around mid-way and join the ruling party, just to protect your political future. That is not democracy; that is deception,” Abdullahi added.
The ADC called on other opposition parties, civil society groups, and Nigerians at large to resist what it described as the gradual erosion of democratic values and the rise of a political monopoly.
President Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor and a major figure in Nigerian politics for over two decades, has faced criticism from several quarters over the economic hardship and rising insecurity under his administration since taking office in May 2023.
Although defections are not new in Nigeria’s political system, critics say the growing trend of governors switching to the ruling party undermines the strength of the opposition and weakens democratic accountability.
