President Bola Tinubu has dismissed Nigeria’s opposition parties as ineffective and hollow, stating that only “empty vessels” remain among their ranks.
Speaking at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Summit on Thursday in Abuja, the President expressed confidence that more defections from rival parties would strengthen the APC. The summit was themed “Renewed Hope Agenda: The Journey So Far.”
Tinubu welcomed the wave of recent defections, noting that the APC remains open to accepting more members, regardless of their former political affiliations. He adduced that such political movement is a constitutional right, citing Section 41(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of association and movement.
His remarks follow a significant defection in April 2025, when Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and several top officials of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) joined the APC.
The President’s comments also coincided with a vote of confidence passed by all 22 APC governors, under the umbrella of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF), in support of his administration.
