Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Policy, revealed during a TVC interview that several key figures from Peter Obi’s 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign are in discussions to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), signaling a potential extension of the ongoing wave of defections from opposition parties. Bwala specifically claimed that one of Obi’s “handlers” has already joined the APC, a second is in talks, and a media spokesman is also considering defection, intensifying concerns about the weakening of Nigeria’s opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Bwala attributed these defections to a growing trust in Tinubu’s leadership, stating, “Nobody is giving anybody kobo, but because they realise, we are not perfect as a government, but our hearts are right, our head is correct, and we are creating a national consensus.” The remarks, echoed across platforms like Daily Post and Naija News, highlight the APC’s expanding influence, with high-profile defections including Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and former PDP vice-presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa in April 2025. Bwala’s claims about Obi’s camp, however, have sparked skepticism, as no names were disclosed, and Obi’s team, including aide Yunusa Tanko, dismissed the assertions as “propaganda” without evidence.
The broader defection trend has alarmed opposition leaders. Labour Party’s House caucus leader, Afam Ogene, attributed LP defections to internal crises under former chairman Julius Abure, though he insisted Obi remains a “formidable opposition voice.” The PDP, reeling from losses in Delta, downplayed the defections, with Acting Chairman Umar Damagum noting Obi’s 6.1 million votes in 2023 without gubernatorial backing as evidence of grassroots strength. Critics, like former Namadi Sambo aide Umar Sani, accuse Tinubu of fostering a one-party state, a charge APC’s Felix Morka rebuffed, arguing it’s not the ruling party’s duty to bolster the opposition.
Sentiment on X reflects polarized reactions, with @thenationnewsng amplifying Bwala’s claims, while @urchilla01 and Obidients like @MissPearls urged Obi to clarify his stance amid rumors of his own defection, which he denied on March 29, 2025, via Torizone. The defections, driven by political survival per Ogene, threaten the opposition’s 2027 prospects, especially as Tinubu’s policies, like the naira-for-crude deal, gain traction. Without named defectors or concrete evidence, Bwala’s statements risk being dismissed as political maneuvering, but they underscore the APC’s aggressive consolidation and the opposition’s struggle to maintain unity.
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