Defections To APC Not Surprising, Tinubu Has Demonstrated Boldness With Policies— Ademola Abba

The Director of Administration at The Progressive Institute, Ademola Abbas, says the policies initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reflect a bold and courageous leader who has taken decisive actions for the country.

He, therefore, stated that the recent wave of defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is not surprising.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, Abbas, a professor, said Tinubu had displayed the kind of courage and political will needed to make difficult but necessary decisions.

“Whether you like him or not, whether you like his policies or not, he has exhibited courage in terms of taking some bold decisions and making some bold policies.

“These are policies and decisions that people who are not very courageous, who probably do not genuinely have the interest of their country at heart, would not make,” he said.

“I’m not saying President Asiwaju is an angel; there are no angels among men, but as far as politics is concerned, he has justified that kind of confidence I expressed on television then, that he is bold, he is courageous, and we need bold, courageous leaders in Nigeria today,” he added.

Commenting on the rising number of defections to the ruling APC, Abbas said it is a natural occurrence in Nigeria’s political Scene.

He noted that politicians often realign with leaders whose policies they support, even across party lines.

“I might belong to the PDP today or the Labour Party or the APC, but nothing stops me if I’m looking at the other party and thinking this person is doing what I would have supported him to do if I were in his party. Don’t be surprised that many governors are going to join the APC,” he said.

He explained that genuine leaders should prioritise nation-building over party loyalty. “If you are a governor and you see that whoever is in power, you may not like him, but you like his policies and his principles, and you do an assessment that ‘if I join this person, we are likely to build a stronger country,’ why won’t I support him?”

Abbas also said some of those criticising the president’s reforms are individuals who benefited from Nigeria’s past economic excesses.

“As Nigerians, we have been living above our means. At one point, we were importing toothpicks, and people were hoarding dollars.

“We needed all those things to be dealt with by somebody who is courageous and not easily distracted. Many of those shouting now are losers who destroyed the country to this point,” he said.

Speaking further, Abbas explained that the Nigerian Constitution does not explicitly prohibit a one-party state.

“There is no provision in the Nigerian Constitution that states Nigeria cannot be a one-party state. The only thing that guarantees against it is Section 68(1)(g), which talks about carpet crossing.

“By inference, that means you must have at least two parties before you can carpet cross,” he argued.

His comment comes following the defection of the Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the resignation of his Bayelsa counterpart, Douye Diri, from the Peoples Democratic Party.

The latest defections have further weakened the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.