Bola Tinubu political dominance intensifies as opposition governors defect to APC, raising concerns of a looming one-party state in Nigeria
Bola Tinubu political dominance is surging as Nigeria inches closer to the 2027 general elections, with an increasing number of opposition governors defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
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The recent wave of defections in Southern Nigeria has bolstered Tinubu’s hold on the region—but not without sharp criticism and rising concern.
In a dramatic political shift, governors from Enugu and Bayelsa States—Peter Mbah and Douye Diri respectively—have exited the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), further diminishing the opposition’s grip in the South.
High-level sources within the APC confirm that discussions are ongoing with other Southern governors, including those from Abia and Rivers, who are reportedly on the cusp of joining the ruling party.
This political momentum, while advantageous to Tinubu and the APC, has ignited nationwide fears of a one-party state.
Opposition leaders including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi have lambasted the defections, describing them as desperate acts of survival rather than ideological realignment.
“The battle line is drawn,” Atiku declared, accusing the APC of using state institutions to intimidate opposition leaders.
“These defectors are not acting in the people’s interest,” he said, claiming the next election will be the people’s reckoning.
Peter Obi dismissed the notion that defections could “capture” any region, insisting the people, not governors, hold electoral power. “This is not the military era. No one can capture the South-East,” he stated bluntly.
Meanwhile, Minister Nyesom Wike, a controversial figure within the PDP, mocked the defectors, claiming their move validates his earlier support for Tinubu.
“They criticised me for destabilising the party. Now they’re joining APC. I should be applauded for leading the way,” Wike said.
In the North, the ruling APC controls 13 of the 19 states, while in the South, its influence now stretches across 11 of 17 states—a striking map of Bola Tinubu political dominance.
The PDP now holds just a handful of states, and internal discontent is growing louder.
Former Bayelsa Governor and current Senator Seriake Dickson expressed outrage at the defections, accusing his successor Diri of abandoning the PDP without a compelling reason. “Nigeria cannot thrive as a one-party state.
These defections are deeply troubling,” Dickson said, branding the trend a “betrayal of democracy.”
Opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress, have echoed these sentiments. They warned that the country is veering dangerously close to autocracy. “What’s happening isn’t democracy—it’s an organised abandonment of the people,” said ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi.
Still, within Tinubu’s camp, the defections are being celebrated as strategic victories. Party insiders claim they are reshaping Nigeria’s political landscape to ensure APC dominance by 2027.
Despite this, grassroots opposition is brewing. PDP stalwarts in Enugu and Bayelsa have vowed to rebuild, urging members to stay resilient.
“They’ve left. Now we rebuild. The people are watching—and they will respond,” said one PDP youth leader in Enugu.
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With more governors reportedly in talks to switch allegiance, Bola Tinubu political dominance is on the rise—but so is the resistance.
