The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that the 2027 general elections will not be determined by political defections but by their administration’s track record and policies.

Debo Ologunagba, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, issued this warning during an appearance on AIT’s Focus Nigeria. He criticized the APC and Tinubu-led government for celebrating high-profile defections as if they were indicators of successful governance.

“This administration treats defections like policy victories,” Ologunagba said. “But 2027 will be about the government’s performance and how its policies have impacted Nigerians.”

His remarks follow a wave of recent defections from the PDP and the Labour Party to the APC. Among the defectors are former Delta State Governor and PDP vice-presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa, along with all PDP National Assembly members from Delta State. Several other lawmakers have also switched allegiance to the ruling party.

Ologunagba condemned what he described as an orchestrated effort by the APC to weaken opposition parties, accusing President Tinubu of openly favoring a one-party system—an approach he warned is dangerous for Nigeria’s multi-ethnic, multi-cultural democracy.

“When a president in a diverse country like Nigeria expresses support for a one-party state, it reflects an ongoing assault on democratic processes,” he said. “Many of these defections are not genuine but coerced, driven by the president’s agenda to eliminate opposition. That vision of a one-party state is nothing but a dangerous illusion.” He further argued that instead of focusing on governance and accountability, the APC is prioritizing political gains through defections.

“The government is more concerned with political defections than presenting a scorecard of its achievements,” he said. “But let me be clear—come 2027, Nigerians will not be swayed by party defections. They will judge this administration based on its policies and the real impact on their lives.”