A prominent chieftain of the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC), Ladan Salihu has criticized the wave of state governors defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress, describing their actions as politically short-sighted and reliant on President Bola Tinubu rather than grassroots support.
Speaking on Monday during The Morning Show on Arise Television, Salihu, a former Director General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, said the rush of governors to join the APC reflects a pattern of chasing perceived political advantage instead of building on the foundations that first brought them to power.
“Many governors now treat Tinubu as a ‘tin god’ who can secure their political future,” Salihu said.
“They forget the people and the forces that first gave them office, and believe their political survival depends on aligning with the ruling party. History has shown that chasing such golden fleeces often ends in failure.”
Salihu recalled previous political shifts, noting that even when the Peoples Democratic Party once held 28 governorships, it still lost the presidency to the APC, a lesson he says some politicians ignore.
The latest defections include Dauda Lawal, Abba Yusuf, and Ahmadu Fintiri, with rumours that Bala Mohammed may soon follow suit.
Salihu urged governors to reconsider, stressing that political survival comes from consistent engagement with the electorate and staying true to the party under which they were elected. “The Almighty God first gave them the power to serve; politicians should not substitute that for a temporary political platform,” he said.
