Tinubu Expects More Opposition Defections to APC, Secures Party’s Sole Candidacy for 2027

President Bola Tinubu announced on Thursday, May 22, 2025, that he anticipates more opposition politicians joining the All Progressives Congress (APC) before the 2027 general elections, as the party’s Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and National Working Committee (NWC) endorsed him as the sole presidential candidate. Speaking at the APC National Summit themed “Renewed Hope Agenda: The Journey So Far” at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja, Tinubu emphasized Nigeria’s constitutional guarantees of freedom of movement and association, describing defectors as escaping “sinking ships.” He welcomed the endorsements, stating, “We will lead you to that promised land,” and projected economic industrialization in the next two years. The APC’s 22 governors, led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, passed a vote of confidence in Tinubu, with Uzodimma’s motion for his candidacy adopted through a voice vote by party members, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and others. National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje affirmed Tinubu as the sole candidate, reinforcing party unity.

Recent defections from opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), have bolstered the APC’s ranks. Notable defectors include Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and the Delta PDP structure, alongside six House of Representatives members, Delta Assembly Speaker Emomotimi Guwor, Edo Assembly Speaker Blessing Agbebaku, and Kano Senator Kawu Sumaila. Speaker Tajudeen Abbas praised Tinubu’s economic reforms for boosting revenues, reserves, and investor confidence, claiming GDP growth is at its highest since 2015. However, the endorsements drew criticism. The Middle Belt Forum’s Dr. Bitrus Pogu called them sycophantic and disconnected from economic and security challenges. The Ijaw National Congress’s Professor Benjamin Okaba warned of a slide toward a one-party state, while Afenifere’s Justice Faloye urged focus on governance. The Conference of United Political Parties (CUPP), led by Peter Ameh, labeled the move a sign of APC panic amid public discontent, asserting that the 2027 elections will reflect the electorate’s will.