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Defections And Disruptions: The High Price Of Nigeria’s Party Switching.
The wave of governors defecting in Nigeria has steadily become a defining feature of the country’s political scene.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Hardly a month goes by without a sitting governor abandoning the opposition to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Before this trend gathered momentum, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) controlled 13 states. That figure has now dwindled to just two, led by the governors of Bauchi and Oyo States, Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde.
Although these defections may appear to signal a decline in the PDP’s influence, their impact runs deeper. A governor’s switch often sets off a chain reaction, cabinet reshuffles, policy adjustments, and disruptions to ongoing projects.
Commissioners and aides tied to the former party are frequently replaced, while civil servants adopt a cautious approach that slows decision-making. For citizens, this often translates into stalled projects and uncertainty in public service delivery, even as political developments dominate headlines.
In 2020, the current Minister of Works and then Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi, defected from the PDP to the APC, triggering both legal and political turmoil in the state.
His move was challenged in court, with critics insisting the mandate belonged to the party under which he was elected.
In 2022, a Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that Umahi and his deputy should vacate office, a judgment that sparked uncertainty over the state’s leadership and led to prolonged legal battles.
The crisis disrupted governance, as key decisions were delayed while attention shifted to court proceedings and managing political fallout.
A similar scenario unfolded in 2021 when Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle, defected to the APC. Prior to his move, he dissolved his cabinet, leaving a temporary gap in the state’s administrative structure.
Commissioners and top officials were directed to hand over to permanent secretaries, creating a vacuum that affected governance.
That same year, Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, also defected to the APC, prompting sweeping changes in his administration.
He dismissed several commissioners and special advisers who declined to join him, ordering them to return government property, a move that disrupted administrative continuity.
While earlier defections, such as those involving Umahi, Matawalle, and Ayade, revealed immediate governance challenges ranging from legal disputes to cabinet overhauls and slowed administrative processes, recent developments show the trend is far from abating.
In Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s defection to the APC has led to legislative realignments and ongoing factional tensions with political figures loyal to his predecessor.
Though the move may have been aimed at strengthening his political position, particularly against rivals like the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, it has yet to produce the expected outcomes.
Meanwhile, lawmakers have continued to debate the implications of such defections.
In 2025, the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review proposed an amendment to the 1999 Constitution that would require presidents, governors, and their deputies to resign if they defect from the parties that brought them to power.
The proposal was expected to be concluded by December 2025, but as of 2026, no legislation has been enacted. As it stands, governors who switch parties retain their positions, since existing provisions apply only to legislators, not members of the executive.
Nonetheless, the ongoing discussions reflect growing concern among policymakers about the disruptive effects of defections, from governance slowdowns to policy uncertainty, as political realignments continue across the country.
Speaking exclusively, the National Spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Mark Adebayo, also drew attention to the wider consequences of the persistent wave of defections by Nigerian governors.
An officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has been arrested for allegedly firing gunshots into the air during a confrontation with traders at Kubwa Market in Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The officer, identified as Onoja Samuel, reportedly arrived at the market armed with a pistol following allegations that some traders had assaulted his wife.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Mohammed Sanusi, disclosed the incident while addressing journalists at the command on Wednesday, Naija News reports.
Sanusi said the police received a distress call from Kubwa Market, located in the Bwari Area Council, reporting that a man was shooting into the air.
Following the report, officers attached to the Kubwa Police Division were deployed to the scene, where they arrested the suspect.
According to the police commissioner, preliminary investigations revealed that Samuel holds the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Corps (DSC) in the NSCDC.
He explained that the officer allegedly fired several shots during an argument with the traders.
“During the ensuing argument with the traders, Onoja Samuel, who is a DSC with the NSCDC, fired several shots into the air,” Sanusi said.
The police recovered a CZ pistol and 17 rounds of live 9mm ammunition from the suspect.
Sanusi added that Samuel remained in police custody and would be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The commissioner also urged personnel of other security agencies operating in the FCT to exercise restraint and notify the police divisions responsible for their areas before conducting authorised operations.
He stressed that effective coordination among security agencies was essential to preventing confrontations and maintaining peace across the territory.
Nigerian gospel singer Laolu Gbenjo has cautioned the public against spreading unverified information about the circumstances surrounding the death of his colleague, Bayonile Bolaji, popularly known as Toluwanisings.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Gbenjo’s warning comes amid growing controversy surrounding the late singer’s death and burial arrangements, with reports of disagreements among members of his family.
The gospel singer spoke on Tuesday during a night of tributes held in honour of Toluwanisings in Ibadan, Oyo State. He warned against allowing the situation to degenerate into a controversy similar to the one that followed the death of Nigerian singer Mohbad.
Describing the deceased as a devoted Christian and a genuine servant of God, Gbenjo said Toluwanisings was passionate about his faith and had a good relationship with people.
He urged the public to stop fuelling unnecessary controversy over the late singer’s death, particularly through social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
“You can never see Toluwani in the midst of jobless people. He had a good heart. He was a friend to everybody. He served the Lord with all his heart. Don’t turn Toluwani into Mohbad. That madness on TikTok and Instagram must stop. If you are jobless, go and look for a job,” Gbenjo said.
Meanwhile, comedians Ayobami Ajewole, popularly known as Woli Agba, and Olamide Oladimeji, also known as Dele Omo Woli, have threatened legal action against individuals allegedly linking them to Toluwanisings’ death.
Woli Agba disclosed this in a public notice shared on his Instagram page on Sunday.
In the notice issued by their solicitors, Gemgold, the comedians warned members of the public against publishing or circulating allegations they described as false and defamatory against them.
The legal notice maintained that the allegations were baseless and intended to damage the reputations of the two entertainers.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed December 2, 2026, for judgment in the ₦1 billion fundamental rights suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other respondents.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik set the date after lawyers representing the parties adopted their respective court processes.
However, El-Rufai’s lawyer was absent when the case was initially called. The judge subsequently deemed the former governor’s filed processes adopted.
Counsel to the ICPC, Abdul Mohammed (SAN), adopted the commission’s court processes and urged the judge to dismiss the suit in its entirety.
Similarly, the lawyer representing the Inspector-General of Police, ACP Ezekiel Rimamsomte, and Maimuna Lami-Shiru, Director of Civil Litigation and Public Law, who appeared on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), adopted their respective processes and asked the court to dismiss the case.
During the proceedings, El-Rufai’s lawyer, Ubong Akpan, arrived in court and apologised for his lateness.
When Akpan sought the court’s permission to adopt his client’s processes, Justice Abdulmalik informed him that the documents had already been deemed adopted.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until December 2, 2026, when judgment is expected to be delivered.
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