Tinubu’s Unmatched Affect: Over 140 Political Heavyweights Be part of APC With out a Single Election – BAT Convener

The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed workplace political panorama has shifted in highly effective and historic methods. In underneath two years—and with out holding a single nationwide election—over 140 elected politicians have joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

These embrace governors, senators, members of the Home of Representatives, state lawmakers, and native authorities chairmen. Most of them had been initially elected on opposition platforms however have now aligned themselves with President Tinubu’s management and imaginative and prescient for the nation.

The Convenor of the BAT Ideological Group, Bamidele Atoyebi, stated this wave of help is not any coincidence. It’s a direct results of President Tinubu’s efficiency, maturity, and inclusive model of management. His {economic} reforms, appointments, stabilizing insurance policies, and skill to hold individuals alongside have satisfied politicians throughout celebration strains that the APC is the place progress lives.

In Delta State, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, elected underneath the PDP in 2023, made headlines when he defected to the APC in April 2025. Quickly after, Speaker Emomotimi Guwor and 21 members of the Delta State Home of Meeting joined him. Then, six PDP Home of Representatives members from the state adopted swimsuit: Victor Nwokolo, Julius Pondi, Thomas Ereyitomi, Nicholas Mutu, Ukodhiko Jonathan, and Nnamdi Ezechi. All of them cited inspiration from President Tinubu’s management and a want to help the nationwide agenda.

In Edo State, following the APC’s victory within the 2024 governorship election, one other wave of defections occurred. Speaker Blessing Agbebaku, together with two PDP lawmakers—Sunny Ifada and Yekini Idaiye—moved to the APC. As well as, 17 native authorities chairmen additionally left the PDP for the APC. Earlier in 2024, Edosa Enowoghoma of Ovia South-West and Dickson Ahonsi of Owan West had already defected, together with a number of councillors.

In Akwa Ibom, the momentum continues to construct. Two senators, Ekong Sampson and Aniekan Bassey, have already joined the APC. Although Governor Umo Eno remained within the PDP till not too long ago, he formally defected to the APC in June 2025. His transfer was shortly adopted by 24 members of the Akwa Ibom State Home of Meeting. Previous to that, seven notable figures had already crossed over: Hon. Unyime Idem, Hon. Esin Etim, Hon. Ekpo Asuquo, Hon. Uduak Odudoh, Hon. Okpolupm Etteh, Hon. Okon Bassey, and Hon. Emmanuel Ukpong—from each the PDP and YPP. Their choices affirm that APC’s development underneath Tinubu isn’t just on the high—it’s spreading to grassroots lawmakers as properly.

The Nationwide Meeting has additionally felt the Tinubu impact. Within the Senate, APC’s numbers have grown from 59 to 69. Defectors embrace Ned Nwoko (Delta North), Ekong Sampson and Aniekan Bassey (Akwa Ibom), Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central), Adamu Aliero, Yahaya Abdullahi, and Garba Maidoki (all from Kebbi), Neda Imasuen (Edo South, previously Labour Party), and Kawu Sumaila (Kano South, previously NNPP). These strikes give the APC even higher management within the Senate and present how Tinubu’s regular management is profitable converts on the highest ranges.

Within the Home of Representatives, 30 members have moved to the APC underneath Tinubu’s watch. Other than the Delta contingent, notable defectors embrace Mark Obetta and Denis Nnamdi from Enugu (Labour Party); Abubakar Aliyu, Yusuf Majigiri, Garba Koko, Jallo Hussaini Mohammed, and Abdullahi Balarabe from Katsina and Kebbi; Kabiru Hassan Rurum and Sani Abdullahi from Kano (previously NNPP); Oluwole Oke from Osun (PDP); Amos Magaji and Adamu Tanko from the North Central zone; and Alfred Ajang from Plateau.

Others embrace Idris Salman (Kogi), Chris Nkwonta (Abia), Sulaiman Gummi (Zamfara), and a bloc of Labour Party lawmakers—Chinedu Okere, Mathew Donatus, Bassey Akiba, and Esosa Iyawe—who cited inside disarray as their cause for becoming a member of the APC. These lawmakers signify all zones—north, south, east, and west—but are actually united underneath one banner: President Tinubu’s APC.

In Rivers State, 27 PDP lawmakers within the State Home of Meeting defected to the APC in December 2023. Whereas courtroom circumstances are nonetheless pending, the political affect is already plain. Their transfer, like many others, is seen as a vote of confidence within the president’s capacity to steer Nigeria ahead.

Past the defections, one thing deeper is going on. Many governors have discovered widespread floor with Tinubu because of the quiet however regular reforms he’s implementing. His strategy to restructuring—particularly {financial} devolution—is empowering state governments and even native councils. For the primary time in years, governors are seeing significant enhancements of their state funds.

That is now not simply politics—it’s sensible. Those that need governors to oppose the president should now do greater than make noise as a result of Tinubu’s reforms are working, and state leaders can see the affect with their very own eyes.

In fact, private curiosity at all times performs a job in politics. However even when self-interest had been fully eliminated, the fact stays: if choices had been made purely primarily based on the {economic} well-being of states, practically all 36 governors would stand behind President Tinubu. The few who hesitate achieve this not on account of a scarcity of outcomes, however due to private ambitions.

Some critics have tried to label this mass realignment as harmful for democracy. However in reality, it’s a vote of confidence in efficiency. These politicians usually are not being compelled—they’re freely selecting to hitch a authorities that’s delivering. Tinubu’s management just isn’t about noise; it’s about outcomes. His capacity to hold individuals alongside—whether or not or not they maintain appointments—has created a broad base of loyalty throughout all areas and ranges of presidency.

What makes this motion historic is its scale and pace. In Nigeria’s political historical past, no president has recorded this stage of help from opposition figures with out an election. Underneath former President Jonathan, defections occurred earlier than the 2015 elections. Underneath Obasanjo and Buhari, such actions got here slowly and sometimes throughout second phrases. However underneath Tinubu, over 140 elected officers from throughout the nation have joined the APC in lower than two years. That has by no means occurred earlier than.

It’s clear: persons are not simply watching—they’re shifting. They’re shifting towards a pacesetter who is concentrated, daring, and delivering outcomes. As 2027 approaches, the message is loud and clear: Nigeria is standing behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Bamidele Atoyebi, the Convenor of the BAT Ideological Group, engages in accountability and coverage monitoring. He additionally serves as a social employee, criminologist, maritime administrator, and philanthropist. He despatched this message from Abuja.