Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe has openly condemned the increasing trend of politicians abandoning opposition parties in favor of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
During a recent interview on Arise Television, the senator expressed skepticism about the actual benefits these defections bring, particularly for the people of Nigeria’s Southeast region, which he represents.
Abaribe recounted a personal exchange with a colleague who had already switched to the APC. When he asked what tangible gains the Southeast had received from the move, the person referenced the establishment of the Southeast Development Commission.
However, Abaribe was unimpressed, pointing out that similar commissions already exist across other regions in the country. He questioned the uniqueness or value of such a development, asking, “So what exactly is new?”
He went further to accuse the current federal administration of engaging in what he described as “competitive nepotism,” a form of extreme favoritism that, in his view, surpasses even what was experienced during the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari. He argued that the Southeast has continued to suffer neglect, especially in terms of federal appointments and ministerial representation.
To illustrate this imbalance, Abaribe pointed out that the entire Southeast, made up of five states, currently has only five ministers—one per state—while a single state, Ogun, has four ministers alone. He cited this as a glaring example of the unequal treatment being meted out to his region.
In response to suggestions that he, too, should consider joining the APC, Abaribe firmly rejected the idea. “And you expect me to join them? For what purpose?” he asked rhetorically. He stated that he could not, in good conscience, align with a party that has provided so little for his constituents.
Abaribe stressed that public officeholders must be accountable to the people they represent. He asked what justification he could possibly give to his people if he were to join the APC without bringing any concrete benefits back home. “What will I return home and tell my people I achieved?” he questioned.
He concluded by reaffirming his stance against blindly following the political trend, saying that while others may choose to defect, he remains committed to standing his ground. “They can go ahead, but we won’t be part of it,” Abaribe declared.
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