Opposition parties must look inward and resolve their internal conflicts instead of blaming President Bola Tinubu for their growing loss of members, according to All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Olatunbosun Oyintiloye.
In a statement released on Sunday, May 18, in Osogbo, the former lawmaker from Obokun State Constituency said the wave of defections, especially from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is largely due to internal issues within those parties, not pressure from the APC.
Oyintiloye predicted even more defections in the coming months and challenged opposition leaders to stop pointing fingers at Tinubu.
“So many defectors claimed that they were sidelined, undermined, unfairly treated by their former parties, leaving them with no option but to switch to a party with an agenda for transformation,” he said.
He described the defections as part of a larger political shift influenced by what he called the ideological appeal of President Tinubu’s leadership.
“This season of political recalibration that is leading to a growing number of Nigerian politicians defecting en masse to the ruling All Progressives Congress is an indication that the party has shown encouraging signs of being capable of transforming the country through the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Tinubu,” he added.
“Mr President has shown commitment to prioritise national development and creating a more viable platform. That is winning members into the APC fold.”
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Oyintiloye rejected suggestions that the mass defections could lead to a one-party state.
“How can the wave of defections to the ruling party lead to a party system when we still have more than 60 registered political parties in the country?” he asked.
He urged opposition parties to deepen internal democracy by promoting inclusiveness, allowing dissent, and ensuring transparent primaries. He argued that these reforms would help reduce defections.
“Rather than opposition parties blaming the president or ruling party, they must develop a robust strategy to check the trend through a better internal democratic process by allowing dissent, transparent primaries, and all-inclusive decision-making within the party structure. This will discourage defections of politicians from their various parties,” he stated.
While welcoming new members into the APC, he also cautioned that their integration must not come at the expense of party loyalists.
He said the ruling party must remain vigilant and strengthen its internal processes to prevent internal strife.
Those joining the APC, he warned, “should not displace loyal APC faithful who have laboured to build the party over the years.”