Defection or Deception? Nigeria’s March Toward a One-Party State.
A recent report in one of Nigeria’s leading dailies revealed that a state governor, his deputy, all political officeholders in the state, a former governor, and an elder statesman have defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). It is no wonder that this political crossing is happening, owing to the fact that the next general elections are barely 22 months away. The idea of politicians and public officeholders making such moves is not surprising as it has become a traditional trend in Nigeria. Party defections in Nigeria date back to the First Republic (1960–1966), where ideological alignment and regional interests often influenced politicians to switch parties. However, the trend became more pronounced during the Second Republic (1979–1983), when politicians frequently jumped ship in pursuit of political survival or access to power. In the Fourth Republic, which began in 1999, defections have become a recurring feature of the N...