When APC Is Succeeding, They Say Democracy Is Under Threat — Yilwatda

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has accused opposition parties of applying double standards over political defections, saying the ruling party is unfairly criticized whenever politicians join its ranks.

Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television, Yilwatda dismissed claims that the APC is shrinking Nigeria’s democratic space through defections, insisting that politicians have also left the ruling party for opposition platforms in search of election tickets

According to him, several high-profile APC members have defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and other political parties after securing opportunities to contest elections.

“We have many people in APC, high-profile people, who left our party to ADC, some to NDC, and they gave them tickets,” Yilwatda said.

He explained that many APC members who wanted to contest elective offices left because there was no available space for them within the party, stressing that such defections are driven by political ambition rather than any crisis within the APC.

The APC chairman argued that while opposition parties openly celebrate politicians who join them, they describe similar defections to the APC as a threat to democracy.

“They celebrate everybody that comes to their party and call it victory for democracy. But when they leave their party to our party, they say democracy is under threat,” he said.

Yilwatda maintained that the criticism reflects a double standard, insisting that political defections should be viewed the same way regardless of which party benefits.

“So, when APC is succeeding, democracy is under threat. But when it is NDC, ADC or the opposition that is succeeding, democracy is succeeding,” he added.

He further contended that although some APC members have left for other parties, the number is negligible compared to those joining the ruling party, insisting that the APC remains strong despite the movement of politicians ahead of future elections.