Aregbesola Warns APC Over Defections, Says Governors Can’t Secure Tinubu’s Victory in 2027
- Former Osun governor Aregbesola warned that defecting governors could not guarantee electoral victory for the APC in 2027
- Aregbesola cited results from the South West and South East to argue that voters, not governors, decide elections
- He urged the government to ensure free and fair polls to test the impact of political defections
Legit.ng's Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is a 2025 Wole Soyinka Award-winning journalist with over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance and accountability in Nigeria.
Former Osun State Governor and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rauf Aregbesola, has cautioned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against relying on defecting governors as a strategy for winning the 2027 presidential election.
Aregbesola said electoral victories are determined by voters, not by the number of sitting governors in a party, stressing that recent election outcomes do not support the belief that governors can automatically deliver votes.
Source: Facebook
He spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the public launch of The Loyalist, a memoir by Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary.
His comments came amid a wave of defections to the APC, including Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and several governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The governors who have crossed over to the ruling party include Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Peter Mbah of Enugu, Douye Diri of Bayelsa, Agbu Kefas of Taraba, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers, and Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau.
Beyond governors, several lawmakers, former governors, ex-ministers and other political heavyweights have also defected to the APC in recent months, fueling debate over the country’s political balance.
While APC leaders have dismissed concerns about a drift toward a one-party state, Aregbesola said recent electoral data showed that control of state governments does not always translate into votes at the polls.
2023 elections as examples
Aregbesola cited outcomes from the South West and South East in the 2023 elections, noting that despite APC dominance in most South West states, the party did not secure overwhelming victories.
He also referenced the party’s poor showing in the South East to support his argument.
The former governor, who left the APC for the ADC last year, urged the federal government and election authorities to focus on guaranteeing free, fair and credible elections in 2027.
He said:
“I still want to say something more. Something is going on that is worrisome, especially for those of us who are Democrats or aspire to be general Democrats. The fact that certain governors are defecting to the APC shows that our unity (ADC leaders) is weakened.
"I laugh because recent statistics in Nigeria, based on the last election, do not support this belief. In the past, to quit the government and the federal social, let them commit to a free and fair electoral process. We will then see if it is true.
Source: Facebook
According to him, only a transparent electoral process would truly determine whether defecting governors and political realignments would make any meaningful difference at the polls.
His words:
“The second point is a scenario where I want to use results from two zones—just two zones—to show that when a party controls a state, it may not necessarily translate to votes.
"I want to use the results from the Southwest and Southeast. In the Southwest, the APC controlled all but one state. Despite this, the party’s maximum performance in that election was 55%, with the other parties sharing the rest."
“The same applied in Lagos. The APC candidate lost his ward, local government, and state. So please, for goodness’ sake, where is it claimed that governors win elections against the people’s will? That is the Southwest.
“In the Southeast, the result is even more striking. The APC had only 5.8% of the total vote from that zone. I’ll stop at that. The results of these two zones clearly show that governors do not win elections—the people do."
"What we require from the government overseeing the election is a commitment to a free and fair process. So first, commit yourself to a free and fair election, and let us see what the result will be. That’s what we’re asking.”
How governors help win elections - Obidike
Meanwhile, contrary to Aregbesola's position, APC chieftain Chukwuebuka Obidike has explained how governors help win elections.
In an exclusive chat with Legit.ng, Obidike said the recent defections of opposition governors to the APC have weakened the opposition parties and will make it easier for the ruling party to dominate key swing states.
"We saw in 2014–2015 how defections of key figures into the APC helped galvanise support and build a winning coalition for President Buhari. The same logic holds today; building coalitions early gives a strategic advantage in party organisation, fundraising, and voter mobilisation," he told Legit.ng.,
Some analysts argue that governors alone can’t deliver votes and that elections are ultimately decided by the electorate. They point to examples like Lagos in 2023, where the APC, despite controlling the state, didn’t sweep every ward.
"As an APC chieftain, I would say, Governors are not vote machines, but they shape environments. Their structures, endorsements, and mobilisation capacity significantly enhance the party’s ability to turn out voters and win elections.
"Governance that resonates with citizens translates into votes. When APC governors use federal support to deliver tangible development, voters are likelier to reward the party at the polls.
"Elections are won with a combination of leadership performance, organisational reach, and coalition-building, not just by slogans. The APC now enjoys an edge on all three fronts."
Ex-Buhari’s minister knocks Tinubu’s govt
Legit.ng earlier reported that former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, has launched a scathing criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, accusing the government of operating like a cartel.
Speaking on Arise TV on Thursday, Nwajiuba criticised key policy decisions of the Tinubu administration, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and subsequent government spending priorities.
Nwajiuba said the current leadership style of the All Progressives Congress (APC) reflects what he described as “cartel behaviour,” marked by incompetence and consolidation of political power to control national resources.
El-Rufai berates Tinubu's govt
Legit.ng earlier reported that former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has criticised what he described as the growing culture of unlawful detention in Nigeria, warning that the practice undermines democracy and erodes public trust in government.
El-Rufai spoke on Thursday at the 23rd Annual Daily Trust Dialogue held at the Nigerian Air Force Conference Centre, Kado, Abuja, where leaders, policymakers, and civil society actors gathered to discuss governance and national development.
Source: Legit.ng
Nurudeen Lawal (Head of Politics and Current Affairs Desk) Nurudeen Lawal is an AFP-certified journalist with a wealth of experience spanning over 8 years. He received his B/Arts degree in Literature in English from OAU. Lawal is the Head of the Politics/CA Desk at Legit.ng, where he applies his expertise to provide incisive coverage of events. He was named the Political Desk Head of the Year (Nigeria Media Nite-Out Award 2023). Lawal is a member of the Oxford Climate Journalism Network. He is also a certified fact-checker (Dubawa fellowship, 2020). Contact him at lawal.nurudeen@corp.legit.ng or +2348054399455.
Muslim Muhammad Yusuf (Current affairs and politics editor) Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is the 2025 winner for the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting (WSAIR); 1st Runner-up, CJID's Best in Community Reporting Award (2025). He is an Investigative Journalist and Fact-Checker with over 8 years of experience. He is the Politics and Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. Muslim investigated stories around human rights, accountability and social issues. He has years of broadcasting skills and Fellow at Thompson Reuters Foundation (TRF), CJID, HumAngle and Daily Trust Foundation. Email: muslim.yusuf@corp.legit.ng
