The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has stated that it cannot prevent politicians from leaving other parties and joining its ranks, framing the recent surge of defections as a sign of confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, made the comments in an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday while addressing concerns about the growing number of governors and other political figures defecting to the party, notably the recent switch by Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf.
Morka described the defections as politicians’ desire to align with what he termed a “resurging Nigeria” under the Tinubu-led government. He said the APC welcomes those who choose to join and would not act as a barrier or “gatekeeper” to anyone seeking to become a member, stressing that excluding defectors would be undemocratic.
Responding to fears that the influx of defectors could lead to a one-party state, the APC spokesperson dismissed such claims. He pointed out that Nigeria had previously seen a major political party dominate governorship seats as was the case with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at one point, without the country becoming a one-party system.
The report also recalls that Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang officially joined the ruling party at a ceremony in Jos, further adding to the list of high-profile defections into the APC.
