2027: Defection doesn’t guarantee APC’s electoral success — Sen Bala Na’Allah

2026-02-02 - 11:48

Senator Bala Na’Allah has said that recent defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) do not automatically translate into electoral success for the party, insisting that performance and public trust remain the decisive factors ahead of future elections. Na’Allah, a founding member of the APC, made these remarks while he appeared on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily and reacted to the growing wave of defections from opposition parties into the ruling party across several states. According to him, while defections may attract attention, they do not by themselves determine the outcome of elections. He noted that many of those defecting to the APC are influential political figures with strong structures and followership in their states, a development that often creates the impression of the party’s growing strength. However, he stressed that such movements should not be mistaken for guaranteed electoral victory. “It is not in all cases that defections determine the success of a political party,” the senator said. “These defections are made by people who hold large authority in their various states. It is not in politics that defection would determine the success of a party. In Nigeria, you can conveniently say that while local people whom you believe are not satisfied by the APC are registering with the APC, it does not determine success in the coming election. The APC still has to work and convince the people that it is working to position the country to a greater future.” Na’Allah explained that, despite the ongoing influx of politicians into the APC, the party must still earn Nigerians’ confidence through good governance and tangible results. He emphasized that the ruling party has a responsibility to convince citizens that it is genuinely working to secure a better future for the country. Reflecting on the formation of the APC, Na’Allah said the party was established with clear intentions to change the political direction of Nigeria at a time when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was in power. He added that the APC’s original vision was rooted in correcting what its founders believed was a flawed trajectory under the former ruling party. “I am a founding member, and I can conveniently say that no party that had been was formed and came had a better intention than the APC. When APC said, while PDP was the ruling party, we believed that the trajectory of the PDP. So, the APC still has to work and convince the people that it is working to position the country to a greater future.” The senator’s comments come amid a recent gale of defections into the APC by governors, lawmakers, and other high-profile politicians, a trend that has reshaped the political landscape and sparked debate about its implications for upcoming elections. Na’Allah concluded that beyond defections, the APC must continue to engage Nigerians, address their concerns, and demonstrate capacity to deliver, noting that only this can position the party for success in future polls. Vanguard News