Bayo Onanuga

The presidency has dismissed claims that recent defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) were forced, insisting that politicians are joining the ruling party out of their own free will.

In a statement issued on Sunday by Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency argued that the current wave of defections reflects support for President Tinubu’s reforms, not coercion.

“Nigerians migrating to the APC and expressing support for Tinubu are doing so out of their free will, based on the belief that the reforms being executed are in the interest of Nigerians and the unborn generation,” Onanuga stated.

This comes after Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme, and other key political figures recently left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC, dealing a major blow to the opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The presidency rejected accusations that the APC is engineering crises within opposition parties like the PDP, Labour Party, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), stating that the internal woes of the opposition are self-inflicted.

“The opposition cannot blame President Tinubu and the governing APC for their poor organisation, indiscipline, and gross incompetence in managing their affairs,” Onanuga said.

He criticised those lamenting the supposed drift towards a one-party state, noting that the same critics celebrated defections from the APC to other parties without raising concerns about democracy.

“Freedom of association, freedom of speech, and freedom of choice are cherished ideals of democracy. Politicians exercising these rights do not threaten democracy,” the statement added.

Onanuga also praised Tinubu’s democratic credentials, highlighting his past efforts in strengthening opposition politics, and reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to a flourishing multiparty democracy.

He urged Nigerians to respect political choices and ignore alarmists spreading unfounded fears about the nation’s political future.