2027 FEAR FACTOR: Dons Expose Why Politicians Are Flocking to APC — “They’re Seeking Protection, Not Progress,” Says Prof. Onuoha

A visiting Professor at Taraba State University, Jalingo, Professor Jonah Onuoha, has alleged that the ongoing wave of political defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is not driven by ideology or patriotism, but by fear of political extinction and the desire to evade anti-graft scrutiny ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking over the weekend in Jalingo while reacting to the rising defections rocking the political space, Onuoha, who is also the Director of the Centre for American Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), said the trend exposes the ideological bankruptcy and opportunism that have long characterized Nigeria’s political elite.

> “These politicians are not defecting because of shared beliefs or commitment to national development. They are simply looking for a safe platform where they can contest and win elections in 2027 — and where agencies like the EFCC will not come after them during or after their tenures,” he stated.

“It’s a survival strategy. Many of them believe that once they join the ruling party, their political sins are forgiven and their personal interests secured,” Onuoha added.

The don lamented that the development poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy, warning that the country risks sliding into a de facto one-party system by 2027 if the defections continue unchecked.

Onuoha, a former Head of the Department of Political Science at UNN, also expressed concern over the weakening of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the defections could cripple its chances in the next general elections.

> “It is true that the PDP is currently facing internal crises, but with dedication and faith in the party’s ideology, these issues can be resolved. Unfortunately, continued defections — like that of Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah and the entire PDP structure in the state — are a major setback to the opposition,” he said.
Supporting Onuoha’s position, Dr. Chinedu Ejezie, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at UNN, described the defections as “a misplacement of political priorities”, arguing that good governance and electoral success are not dependent on being in the ruling party.

Ejezie dismissed claims by some governors that they were joining the APC to “connect their states to the centre,” saying such reasoning is both misleading and deceptive.

> “All 36 states have been receiving their monthly federal allocations since President Bola Tinubu took office in May 2023, without any discrimination. Even after the removal of fuel subsidy, federal allocations have increased significantly,” he said.

Citing examples, Ejezie praised Alex Otti of Abia (Labour Party), Charles Soludo of Anambra (APGA), and Seyi Makinde of Oyo (PDP) as opposition governors who are delivering results without defecting.

> “After all, some governors in the ruling party are not doing well in their states. Being connected to the centre does not guarantee good governance. What matters is the prudent management of federal allocations and the effective use of human and material resources,” Ejezie noted.

Political observers say the comments by the two scholars highlight a growing public disillusionment with Nigeria’s political class — one that sees party switching as a ladder to personal gain, rather than a tool for advancing democracy and national development.