Defection scare hits PDP, LP over court rulings

There is apprehension in the camp of major opposition parties that some chieftains could switch allegiance to the All Progressives Congress, following a series of election petition cases that had been decided in favour of the ruling party in the last two months.

Recall that the Supreme Court had affirmed the victory of President Bola Tinubu on October 26, 2023.

The verdict ended the 171-day legal battle to nullify the election of the President by the Labour Party and Peoples Democratic Party candidates, Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar respectively.

Five days after the apex court’s judgment, the immediate past National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Prof Rufa’i Alkali, and 25 chieftains of the party, including three governorship candidates announced their defection to the APC.

The new ‘converts’, who were warmly received by the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, at its secretariat in Abuja on October 31, claimed that they switched allegiance because the ruling party was accommodating.

Shortly before that, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, representing Anambra South Senatorial District, moved from the Young Progressive Party to the APC.

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