Nigerian governors’ defections and the growing fear of a one-party system, by Gift Luckson
Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has announced his resignation from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and is expected to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature, announced the development in a statement on Friday.
He said the governor, in a letter addressed to the NNPP chairperson of Diso-Chiranchi Ward, Gwale Local Government Area, officially communicated his decision to withdraw from the party, effective 23 January, 2026.
Governor Yusuf joins the growing number of sitting governors who have resigned from opposition parties to join other parties, mainly the ruling APC.
Sitting Nigerian Governors Who Defected in 2025
In April 2025, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori formally left the PDP and joined the APC, marking one of the first high-profile defections of the year.
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Shortly afterwards, Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno announced his defection from the PDP to the APC on June 6, 2025, saying the move followed consultations and was aimed at aligning with the federal government for development purposes.
Later in 2025, several other governors made similar moves. Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah defected from the PDP to the APC in October 2025, describing the ruling party as offering a better partnership for progress.
Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri officially resigned from the PDP and joined the APC on November 3, 2025, in a well-attended ceremony in Yenagoa hosted by top APC leaders.
Towards the end of 2025, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke also quit the PDP; he did not join the APC but instead moved to the Accord Party in December 2025, amid internal party crises.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang also completed their defections to the APC in December 2025, further reducing the number of PDP governors.
Similarly, in December 2025, Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State defected from the PDP to the APC.
Kefas formally registered as an APC member at his ward, Hospital Ward, in Wukari Local Government Area, where he received his membership card from the ward chairman.
These defections have been accompanied by growing fear of a one-party system in Nigeria.
A Recurring Political Feature
Party defections by serving governors have become a recurring feature of Nigeria’s political landscape. Over the years, several governors have switched allegiance from one political party to another, often citing ideological differences, internal party crises, or the need to align with the federal government for development purposes.
While defections are constitutionally allowed under Nigeria’s multiparty democracy, their increasing frequency has raised concerns about the future of political pluralism in the country.
Historically, governors have moved across major parties such as the PDP, APC, and other smaller platforms.
These defections are rarely isolated events; they are often followed by mass movements of lawmakers, local government chairmen, and party structures within the affected states.
As a result, opposition parties are weakened, sometimes reduced to near insignificance at the state level.
Supporters of defections argue that politics is dynamic and that elected officials should be free to associate with platforms they believe best serve their constituents.
Reasons for Decamping
Some governors claim that decamping allows them to attract federal support, execute projects more effectively, or escape internal party wrangling that hinders governance.
However, critics warn that the trend fuels fears of a gradual slide toward a one-party dominant system.
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When ruling parties continue to absorb opposition governors, Nigeria’s democracy risks losing the healthy competition that strengthens accountability, debate, and good governance.
A Weakened Opposition
A weakened opposition may struggle to provide checks and balances, leaving citizens with limited political choices during elections.
The fear of a one-party system is not merely about numbers but about democratic culture. Democracy thrives on strong institutions, ideological diversity, and credible opposition.
Frequent defections driven by personal ambition rather than clear policy differences undermine party ideology and erode public trust in the political process.
For Nigeria’s democracy to mature, political parties must strengthen internal democracy, enforce discipline, and build clear ideological identities.
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Equally, voters and civil society must continue to demand accountability, regardless of party affiliation. While defections may remain part of Nigeria’s politics, safeguarding multiparty democracy is essential to preventing the emergence of a de facto one-party state.
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