List of Top Political Figures Who Defected from Opposition Parties to APC Ahead of 2027

• Key politicians defected to APC in 2024.
• 2024 defections reflect shifting political alliances.
• Notable leaders include Pius Anyim and Emeka Ihedioha.

The Nigerian political landscape in 2024 was marked by a series of dramatic events, including merger discussions among opposition parties in preparation for the 2027 general elections.

This period also witnessed the defection of key political figures to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which significantly shaped the year’s political developments.

As is typical in Nigerian politics, the aftermath of the 2023 general elections saw an uptick in defections, widely interpreted as a realignment of political interests and alliances. Many defectors expressed the belief that the APC was the only party capable of addressing the country’s numerous challenges.

According to Weekend Trust, party switching has become a common feature of Nigeria’s political environment, driven by various motivations.

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Notable political figures who joined the ruling APC in 2024 include:

Anyim Pius Anyim
The former Senate President, Pius Anyim, who was victorious in the July 2024 election representing the PDP, defected to the APC. He was introduced to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, where he cited the need for collaboration to tackle national challenges.

Emeka Ihedioha
The former Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, left the PDP in April 2024. In a letter to the PDP chairperson in his Mbutu Ward, he expressed that he had contributed significantly to the party since its inception in 1998.

Daniel Bwala
A former spokesperson for the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization, Daniel Bwala, joined the APC in 2024. He praised President Tinubu’s approach to governance and was later appointed Special Adviser for Media and Public Communications.

Ramalan Yero
The former Governor of Kaduna State, who served from 2012 to 2015 under the PDP, joined the APC in February 2024. He explained that discussions with various political parties, including the APC, led to his decision.

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Sylvanus Nguji Ngele
A former PDP National Working Committee member and senator for Ebonyi North, Ngele left the PDP in May 2024, citing the party’s failure to nominate a governor from the Izzi clan, which the APC successfully achieved.

Senator Ezenwo Onyewuchi
Onyewuchi, representing Imo East on the Labour Party (LP) platform, defected to the APC, with his defection letter read on the floor of the Senate by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

LP, PDP Lawmakers Defect to APC
On December 4, 2024, five lawmakers from the Labour Party (LP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) joined the APC. The defectors were Tochukwu Okere, Donatus Mathew, Bassey Akiba, Iyawu Esosa, and Erthiatake Ibori-Suenu, with additional defections in October and December, including Abubakar Gumi from the PDP and Salman Idris from the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

These defections, which continued to reshape Nigeria’s political scene, reflect the ongoing fluidity of the nation’s party politics.

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