The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed concerns that the rising number of politicians defecting into the ruling party poses a risk to Nigeria’s democratic stability.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Saturday night, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, maintained that defections from opposition parties are part of the normal democratic process and do not suggest a slide toward a one-party system.
Morka explained that politicians from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and African Democratic Congress (ADC) who have recently joined the APC are simply exercising their constitutional rights.
He said, “I have no concern whatsoever about that because nothing that has happened in our country — with people leaving their parties to join the APC — suggests that our country is sliding into a one-party system. People are simply exercising their democratic freedom to choose among competing party alternatives, and they are choosing our party.”
According to him, describing the influx of members into the APC as a danger to democracy is both unfair and misleading. “It would be disingenuous to describe the development as a threat to democracy. Would you have the APC become a gatekeeper and decide who can or cannot come in? Democracy is a system of freedoms, and it is not fair or permissible for anyone to limit the right of people to choose for themselves. The fact that people join the APC does not mean we have a one-party system,” he added.
Okay News reports that the ruling party has continued to attract prominent figures from various opposition platforms in recent months, sparking public debate over Nigeria’s political balance and the state of the opposition.
Reacting to accusations that the APC is exploiting federal influence to pressure governors and lawmakers into defecting, Morka dismissed such claims as baseless.
“In a country as massive as Nigeria, how do you cajole governors who are chief executive officers of their states?” he asked. “These are people elected by their constituents to govern. They control their own budgets and have the power to appropriate funds. What exactly would you tell a governor to cajole him?”
He further argued that rather than blaming the APC, opposition parties should examine the internal crises pushing their members away.
“If the PDP, Labour, or ADC look inward, they will find that it is their dysfunction and failure of leadership driving people away. Nobody wants to remain on a sinking ship. No serious politician would stay in a party that offers no hope of redemption,” he said.
Morka also highlighted that the APC’s growing appeal stems from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership and economic reforms, which he claimed are restoring hope among Nigerians.
“The APC is a party of method and hope under the leadership of the President, who is enacting hope for everyone. Our macroeconomic indicators are improving — inflation is now around 18% — and it will continue to go down, translating to more food on the table for Nigerians,” he stated.
According to Morka, the ruling party remains open to all Nigerians who share its vision for progress and national unity.
