A two-term lawmaker at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Jude Idimogu, has described the recent defection of opposition bigwigs into the ruling party as democracy at work in the country.
Idimogu, who represented Oshodi-Isolo Constituency II between 2015 and 2023, made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.
The former lawmaker said that the defection of opposition members to the ruling party was part of democracy permitted by the Constitution.
NAN reports that Idimogu was reacting to the recent defection of Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta and his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, on Monday to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The duo was received days after they announced their decision to leave the PDP, a move seen by many as a political permutation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The defectors were officially received into the party by chieftains of the ruling APC, including Vice-President Kashim Shettima and the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Others are Sen. Adams Oshiomhole and Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo, who is the chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum.
Reacting, Idimogu said the defection of Okowa and the Delta governor meant that the party was growing in numbers; the President is doing well; and that democracy is at work.
“The defection is a welcome development and means that everything is turning in the favour of President Bola Tinubu due to his various transformations in the country.
“The truth is that there is nothing new in defection. Defection is part of democracy. Securing the interests of the people of the state is the most important thing.
“The recent defection to the ruling party shows that President Tinubu may retain the presidency in 2027,” he said.
The former lawmaker noted that aside from those that had already defected, going forward, some governors and legislators from the opposition parties might likely defect to APC.
“It also tells us that there is something the president is doing that is making the opposition to defect, he said.
Idimogu congratulated and welcomed the governor of Delta State and his predecessor into the ruling party.
He said the party was expecting them to bring in their wealth of experience and ideas to the party in the interest of the state and the country at large.
He encouraged other opposition members who might want to join the ruling party in the near future to do so.
