Tinubu’s Performance, Sinking Opposition Led to Defections, Says APC Chieftain
Dr. George Agbakahi, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and political affairs analyst, has attributed the recent wave of defections by opposition governors and National Assembly members to two primary factors: the “sterling performance” of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the severe instability within their own parties.
Speaking on Arise Television, Dr. Agbakahi, who is also the South East leader of the Tinubu Support Organization, argued that these politicians are making calculated moves to secure their political careers.
He stated that the defectors “want to save their political career from the sinking parties,” pointing out that opposition parties like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) are currently “in life support or bleeding badly.”
He further dismissed the notion that the defections were simply due to a lack of ideology, insisting that political reality dictated their actions.
Dr. Agbakahi defended the trend of defection as a normal and acceptable feature of multi-party democracy, calling it not an “aberration” unique to Nigeria but a “global issue.”
He maintained: “Politically speaking, political alliance, realignment and alignment are all major features of multi-party democracy and it’s been ongoing since time immemorial.” He cited historical precedents, including President Donald Trump’s party switch and Abubakar Rimi’s defection in Nigeria’s Second Republic. He concluded that there is “nothing disingenuous or cynical” about governors and lawmakers defecting to the ruling APC.
Addressing the legal scrutiny defections often face, Dr. Agbakahi acknowledged that while Section 68(1) of the 1999 Constitution generally mandates a lawmaker to forfeit their seat upon defection, there is a crucial ambiguity. He highlighted a clause within the section that justifies defection.
“if you are defecting to another party when your party is in disarray.” He argued that this legal justification explains why Nigerian courts have historically been reluctant to remove politicians who defect when their original party is in “turmoil,” he said.
Beyond the crisis in the opposition camps, Agbakahi stressed that the main draw for defectors is the perceived success of President Tinubu’s administration and the validation of the “Renewed Hope Agenda.” He affirmed: “one of the reasons in my view some of these governors are defecting to the APC is probably because of the good work the president is doing.” He supported this with claimed economic improvements, noting that the economy is “turning around,” citing a probable inflation drop to “about 18.12 percent” and a rise in foreign reserves to “about 43 billion dollars.”
He also offered anecdotal evidence of decreasing food prices, stating he bought a bag of rice for “about N62, 000” and attributing these changes to the President’s “bold policies.”
Dr. Agbakahi highlighted the defection in Enugu State as a major win, noting that the Governor defected with almost the entire political structure, including former Governors like Ugwuanyi and Sullivan Chime.
He quoted the Governor’s spokesperson, who justified the move by stating his vision was “interwoven with that of Mr. President” and that they did not want to stay with the “sinking ship, the PDP.” Agbakahi maintained that the APC is now firmly established in Enugu, Ebonyi, and Imo states.
He also pointed out that the governors of Anambra and Abia states, Prof.
Chukwuma Soludo and Alex Otti, have pledged support for President Tinubu because his policies and vision “intertwined with theirs.”
