Founder of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, has dismissed claims that President Bola Tinubu is coercing politicians to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, party membership in Nigeria remains a matter of personal choice, not compulsion.
Speaking in Lagos on Friday, Aniebonam, who also chairs the NNPP’s Board of Trustees, addressed recent concerns over the increasing number of defections to the ruling party, particularly among governors and other elected officials.
He made it clear that such political moves are not being orchestrated under duress.
“We are yet to see politicians who defected to the APC or any other political party in Nigeria at gunpoint, except for their personal convictions and choices,” Aniebonam stated.
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He pushed back on the narrative suggesting that President Tinubu aims to turn Nigeria into a one-party state, calling it baseless. “We have 18 registered political parties in Nigeria, which underscores the essence of a multi-party system in our constitution. Even if all the PDP governors and some others move to the APC, that alone doesn’t make Nigeria a one-party nation,” he explained.
According to him, Tinubu has never stopped anyone from joining his party — nor should he. “The President had once said that he will not stop anyone who wishes to join the APC because it is their right. President Tinubu and the APC are well within their rights to attract new members and pursue reelection,” he added.
Aniebonam argued that cries of a looming one-party system ignore the fact that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not deregistered any parties. He further pointed out that many Nigerian voters are becoming increasingly politically aware and cannot be easily swayed by party-switching politicians.
Turning his focus to governance at the state level, Aniebonam criticized some governors for underperforming and trying to hide behind party affiliations. “Many of these governors are practically not doing much for their states, and they think that running into APC will provide them a second opportunity — and cover from investigation,” he said.
He also warned the APC to be cautious. “The truth is, APC needs to be very careful with the movement of politicians crossing over in droves. It is easier to fight from within than from outside. Whenever systems collapse, tactics take over — politicians can become anything overnight.”
On the upcoming elections, Aniebonam urged Nigerians to stay focused and hold their leaders accountable. He emphasized that defection or political realignment does not equate to automatic influence over the electorate.
“It appears that some politicians are already afraid even before the election, hence the cries of one-party state. What is the population of the governors and party members compared with those who will vote? They are merely a minority among eligible voters in Nigeria,” he said.
He also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate state-level corruption and hold erring governors accountable.
While encouraging President Tinubu to continue delivering policies that benefit the majority, Aniebonam also called on public institutions such as INEC, the judiciary, and law enforcement to remain impartial and committed to national development.
“The NNPP is also open to any Nigerian who considers themselves worthy and popular enough to seek the people’s mandate. President Tinubu is not stopping anybody from testing their popularity,” he stated.
Taking a swipe at those alleging underhanded tactics, he said, “Only bad workmen quarrelling with their tools descend to the arena of name-calling and cheap blackmail. The President should be left alone. He has done nothing wrong and has not coerced anybody to join the APC.”