Defections Weakening Democratic Institutions – Rights Group

The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has faulted the growing wave of political defections in the country, warning that the trend is weakening Nigeria’s democratic institutions and undermining accountability.

In a statement issued by CHRICED’s executive director, Dr. Ibrahim Zikirullahi, it said the movement of elected officials from opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) poses a challenge to democratic pluralism and institutional stability.

Zikirullahi said governors, senators and members of the House of Representatives elected on opposition platforms are increasingly switching parties, a development he described as primarily driven by political expediency rather than policy alignment or improved governance outcomes.

According to him, prolonged dominance by a single political party often emerges from the erosion of institutional checks and balances, noting that strong democracies depend on viable opposition parties and independent institutions.

The organisation drew attention to experiences from other countries where frequent defections and entrenched ruling parties, it said, contributed to weakened institutions, economic difficulties and restrictions on political competition.

CHRICED expressed concern over the pace of defections since 2023, particularly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, including in states traditionally regarded as opposition strongholds such as Delta, Enugu, Akwa Ibom and Rivers.

“These defections are often presented as support for reforms, but many citizens have yet to see commensurate improvements in governance or living standards,” Zikirullahi said.

The organisation also criticised the National Assembly and the judiciary, alleging that both institutions have not done enough to address the constitutional and democratic implications of political defections.

According to CHRICED, the legislature has failed to sufficiently interrogate the legality of defections, while court rulings have tended to treat party membership as a personal choice even when officials were elected on specific party platforms.

Zikirullahi warned that continued institutional weakness could have broader social and economic consequences, including reduced accountability, economic mismanagement and declining public trust in governance.

He called on civil society organisations, the media and political actors to uphold democratic norms and strengthen institutions, stressing that democracy should be anchored on the will of the electorate rather than political convenience.

CHRICED urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, warning that democratic erosion often occurs gradually when institutional safeguards are ignored.