Arewa Forum Breaks Silence: ‘Defections Are Just the Beginning!’ – 2027 Warning Sparks Tension

The National Publicity Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, has raised concerns over the recent wave of defections by PDP governors to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), warning that it may be indicative of a drift toward totalitarian governance in Nigeria.

Speaking in an interview with Daily Sun, Professor Muhammad-Baba said the trend, though largely speculative at this stage, was not unexpected. He referenced the defection of the Delta State governor and the recent clarification by Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, who reaffirmed his commitment to the PDP. “It’s not surprising. Nigeria appears to be inching closer to totalitarianism—not only in governance but also in how political parties are structured and operate,” he noted.

He highlighted the internal crisis plaguing the PDP since the 2023 elections, stating that the party remains fractured. “The PDP has been struggling, and some of its members now align more with the APC. A case in point is the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, who still claims PDP membership but identifies more with the APC than many of its core members,” he added.

Muhammad-Baba also pointed to the intensifying political maneuvering ahead of the 2027 general elections, saying the government is leveraging its influence to sway governors and lawmakers back to the APC, often with promises of automatic tickets.

While stressing that electoral outcomes should rest in the hands of the people, he expressed doubt that voters would be allowed to exercise their will freely. “If only the people would be allowed to decide. But that possibility is becoming increasingly slim. So, for now, I’ll just say, let’s wait and see. We’ve seen these kinds of developments before. Unfortunately, it’s a troubling political trend,” he concluded.