The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sounded a sharp warning to governors and lawmakers defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the act as a threat to democracy that should be criminalized.
In an interview Comrade Ini Ememobong, PDP National Publicity Secretary, condemned the recent wave of defections, noting that at least seven PDP governors and several National Assembly members have joined the APC in recent months.
“Defections undermine democratic principles and erode public trust. Those who abandon the mandate given to them by voters should be treated as criminals,” Ememobong said.
Supreme Court Ruling Raises Fears of Executive Overreach
Ememobong also reacted to the Supreme Court judgment on President Bola Tinubu’s emergency powers in Rivers State.
He said while the court struck out the case for lack of cause of action, its pronouncements on Section 305 of the Constitution raised concerns about potential abuse of power.
“The judgment is ambiguous. It gives the impression that a president could use emergency powers to remove an elected governor or dissolve elected institutions. That is dangerous for democracy,” he warned.
He urged the National Assembly to legislate clear limits on emergency powers, stressing that the removal of elected officials outside constitutional provisions should be treated as a “treasonable felony.”
PDP Rejects APC’s Claim of 2027 Victory
Responding to the APC’s declaration that the 2027 elections are a “done deal,” Ememobong dismissed the claim as undemocratic.
“Elections must have institutionalized uncertainty. No party can claim victory before Nigerians cast their votes,” he said.
He predicted internal crises in the APC, noting that the concentration of political power within one party could lead to implosion. “Political parties are bound to have clashes of interest.
APC will experience shocks when voters exercise their mandate,” he added.
Confidence in PDP’s Grassroots Support
On whether PDP is ready for 2027 despite defections and internal wrangling, Ememobong said the party draws strength from the people.
“When you engage with Nigerians on the streets, in markets, or on public transport, you see their desire for a party with human sympathy. They want a return to a party that works for the people,” he said.
He stressed that defections do not weaken the PDP’s prospects: “While some politicians leave, the people who elected them remain. Democracy is about the electorate, not officeholders.”
Defection Should Be Criminalized, PDP Insists
The PDP also criticized the National Assembly’s recent rejection of a bill to make defection a ground for impeachment of governors or the president.
Ememobong described the failure to activate existing constitutional provisions against defections as a major threat to democratic consolidation.
“If you take a mandate on one platform and defect to another, it is obtained by false pretence and should be criminalized. Celebration of defectors by political parties is shameful,” he said.
On the credibility of the 2027 elections under the current Electoral Act, Ememobong said the focus should be on the actors implementing the law.
“It is not just about the Act; it is about INEC, security agencies, and the judiciary. Democracy requires all actors to act transparently and professionally,” he said.
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