Nigeria’s Politics of Survival: Why the Wave of Defections to APC Should Worry Us All By Victor Itodo Abuh

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Nigeria’s Politics of Survival: Why the Wave of Defections to APC Should Worry Us All By Victor Itodo Abuh

When historians look back at Nigeria’s political evolution, 2025 may well be remembered as the year ideology died — or at least, the year it was openly buried under the rubble of expediency.

The recent flood of defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) — from federal lawmakers to entire state governments — tells us one thing clearly: in Nigeria, political loyalty is not to the people, nor to principles, but to power.

From the high-profile cross-carpeting of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, to the mass movement of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kano, the pattern is obvious. Politicians are abandoning their former parties not because of a deep philosophical awakening, but because they smell proximity to the benefits of ruling power.

Governor Oborevwori, who had spent months denying defection rumors, suddenly cited “Delta’s long-term development” as justification for switching sides. Yet, just a few months prior, his allies swore he was committed to building a “strong PDP.” What changed? The answer is simple: survival.

Even more telling is how figures like Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who once rejected any overtures from Oborevwori and Okowa, have now silently accommodated them. In Nigeria’s political system, yesterday’s enemy becomes today’s brother — if the price is right.

The consequences of these mass defections are profound. First, it severely undermines the idea of political opposition, a vital ingredient for any healthy democracy. An opposition party should offer alternative policies, scrutinize government actions and represent dissenting views. When opposition figures defect en masse to the ruling party, it erodes democratic debate and fosters unchecked power.

Second, it reinforces a culture where politics is seen purely as a vehicle for personal advancement. Voters are left confused, disillusioned and ultimately disengaged from a system that seems rigged to serve only politicians’ ambitions, not the electorate’s hopes.

This is not merely a matter of political strategy; it is a moral crisis. When parties no longer stand for distinct ideologies and when politicians shift allegiance at the slightest whiff of advantage, governance becomes a zero-sum game — one in which the people inevitably lose.

If President Bola Tinubu’s APC truly believes in deepening Nigeria’s democracy, it must resist the temptation to absorb everyone indiscriminately. Winning elections should not come at the cost of collapsing Nigeria’s fragile multi-party system into a hollow “one-party state.”

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At this critical juncture, Nigerians must demand more from their leaders. We must insist that political parties articulate clear visions for governance and that those who are elected on a platform stay loyal to the ideals they sold to the people — not just to the corridors of power.

If we do not, we will continue to be ruled not by leaders with a mandate to serve, but by political nomads chasing the next pot of gold.

And in that case, 2025 would not just be the year of defections — it would be the year Nigeria’s democracy took a dangerous turn into irrelevance.

Victor Itodo Abuh is a freelance journalist and public Affair Analyst passionate about democracy, governance and social accountability in Nigeria. He can be reached via victorabuh84@gmail.com or 08126285255