Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised the growing wave of defections among politicians, dismissing fears that Nigeria is sliding into a one-party state and insisting that no political party can “capture” any region simply because a governor joins it.
Obi made the remarks in Abuja while reacting to the recent defection of Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah and his Bayelsa counterpart, Douye Diri, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The former Anambra State governor, known for promoting issue-based politics, said the notion that a state can be “captured” by a political party through the defection of its leader is a relic of Nigeria’s military past.
“The people will decide where to go, not governors or senators. No party will capture or win any state just because it has a governor,” Obi said.
“Peter Mbah is a good friend of mine, and I believe that as governor, he must have taken his decision based on his own political views and calculations.”
Obi rejected the claim that the South-East could be politically “captured,” stressing that leadership in a democracy should be built on persuasion, not coercion.
“As for the alleged plot to capture the South-East, we are not in a military time when you capture people.
“You are a leader. You tend to do the right things for them to follow you. So I don’t think anybody is capturing anywhere.”
He urged public officials to focus on good governance and policies that improve the lives of citizens, warning that political realignments cannot secure the people’s loyalty without tangible performance.
“The government needs to do more if it wants the people to support it,” he added.
Obi’s remarks come amid mounting political tension following a series of defections by opposition governors and lawmakers to the APC, moves that critics say could push Nigeria toward a one-party structure ahead of the 2027 general elections.
