Women in Politics Forum Condemns Governors’ Defections to APC, Warns of Threat to Nigerian Democracy.
Women in Politics Forum Condemns Governors’ Defections to APC, Warns of Threat to Nigerian Democracy.
Ebere Ifendu, President of the Women in Politics Forum, has criticized the recent wave of Nigerian governors defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), calling it “very embarrassing” and warning that it threatens Nigeria’s democracy. Speaking on Arise Television on Thursday, Ifendu expressed concern over the alarming trend of governors leaving their original parties to join the APC.
Recent reports show that governors from Enugu, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, and Akwa-Ibom states have all defected to the APC, raising questions about the integrity of Nigeria’s political landscape. Ifendu emphasized that political parties should be built on clear ideologies—either socialist like the Labour Party or conservative—highlighting that the frequent party switches cast doubt on the ideological foundation of Nigerian politics.
She argued that voters choose parties based on their principles and promises, but the ongoing defections undermine this trust. “When politicians move from one party to another, it suggests that political parties in Nigeria lack a solid ideological base,” she said. “People no longer believe in the parties or the candidates they vote for because they are voting for the party’s vision, not just an individual.”
Ifendu also pointed out that elected officials carry the mandate of their parties, not personal mandates. When they switch parties mid-term, it erodes the democratic process and raises fears of Nigeria trending towards a de facto one-party state. “Without a strong opposition, democracy cannot thrive,” she warned. Her comments reflect growing concerns that the current trend of defections threatens the stability and credibility of Nigeria’s democratic system.
