The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Senator Nenadi Usman, has said she does not know the reasons behind the recent wave of defections by opposition politicians to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting the development does not signal the collapse of opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Usman made the remarks during an interview on Politics on Sunday, aired by TVC News, while reacting to the growing number of defections from opposition parties, including the Labour Party, to the APC.
She argued that the dominance of the ruling party, including the fact that most state governors now belong to the APC, does not mean opposition parties will become irrelevant in the next election cycle.
Responding to questions on why politicians are moving en masse to the APC, Usman said she could not identify any specific motivation driving the trend.
“You asked me what I think is making them flock to the APC. Honestly, I don’t know what is making them flock to the APC,” she said.
She added that while various speculations were circulating in the political space, none had been substantiated.
“We hear a lot of stories. Some people say if you join the APC, your sins are forgiven. So, it could be that. I don’t know,” Usman stated.
When asked whether the Labour Party has the capacity to field a strong presidential candidate capable of challenging the APC in 2027, Usman declined to give a definite answer, describing it as premature.
“When we get to that bridge, we’ll cross it. Whether we are fielding a candidate, and how we are going to do that, is not something I can decide now,” she said.
Despite the ongoing defections, the LP chairman maintained that opposition parties would continue to play a significant role in Nigeria’s democratic process and remain competitive in the 2027 elections.
