By Fatimah Yusuf
With the 2027 general elections drawing closer, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appears to be tightening his political grip across the South following a fresh wave of defections from opposition ranks to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Several governors and influential politicians from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition blocs have recently crossed over, a development that has sparked growing concerns about Nigeria sliding into a one-party system.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi have dismissed the defections as “acts of desperation,” accusing defectors of prioritising personal gain over principles.
“The battle line is drawn,” Atiku declared, while Obi vowed that Nigerians will “take their pound of flesh” at the ballot box, accusing the APC-led government of worsening economic hardship and democratic decline.
