A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ladan Salihu, has criticised governors who are defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), warning that depending on President Bola Tinubu for political survival offers neither certainty nor electoral success.
Salihu, a former Director General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, made the remarks on Monday during an appearance on The Morning Show on Arise Television, as state governors continue to shift allegiance to the APC in the lead-up to future elections.
Describing the trend as treating Tinubu like a “tin god,” Salihu argued that many governors are abandoning the parties that originally brought them to power, choosing instead to chase the perceived security offered by the ruling party. He questioned why politicians would forsake grassroots support, which first delivered their electoral victories, in favour of political expediency.
“Let me say this, the history does not lie. We have political precedence when people defect from one party to another, chasing what they believe is the golden fleece, and it often crashes before our eyes,” Salihu said. “And you remember, at a point the PDP had about 28 governors or thereabout, and that did not stop the PDP from losing the election to the APC.”
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The recent wave of defections includes Dauda Lawal, who formally left the PDP in early March, raising the number of APC governors to 31. Earlier this year, Abba Yusuf and Ahmadu Fintiri also defected to the APC. Rumours suggest that Bala Mohammed, Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, may be planning a similar move.
Salihu emphasised that true political survival relies on the same forces and grassroots support that initially delivered electoral victory, not on shifting loyalties to the ruling party in anticipation of future elections. He expressed concern over what he called a troubling trend of politicians forgetting the source of their mandate.
“They have now adopted President Bola Tinubu as their own tin god. They believe he can give them power and a platform to win elections, ignoring the God you and I serve. I’m shocked and flabbergasted by the kind of politics we play,” Salihu added.
His remarks highlight ongoing debates about party loyalty, governance, and the role of political calculations in Nigeria’s evolving electoral landscape.
