A former Deputy Senate Majority Leader, Senator Bala Na’Allah, has downplayed the significance of recent high-profile defections into the All Progressives Congress (APC), warning that they do not automatically guarantee victory in the 2027 general elections.
Na’Allah, a chieftain of the ruling party, issued this caution on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s *Sunrise Daily*. His remarks come amid an increasing influx of opposition figures into the APC.
The Senator’s comments follow recent reports regarding the potential or actual movement of several state governors toward the ruling party, including Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf; Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang; and Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, among others.
According to Na’Allah, electoral success in the next general cycle will depend more on tangible governance and the ability to persuade the electorate than on the sheer number of defectors joining the party’s ranks.
“The APC has to work to seriously convince the people that whatever they are going through is reasonably necessary for the purpose of positioning the country for a greater future,” Na’Allah stated.
Despite the current challenges, the former lawmaker defended the foundation of the party, asserting that the APC was established with genuine intentions for the country’s progress.
“I can conveniently say that no party was formed and came with the best intentions for Nigeria better than the APC. That I can conveniently say,” he noted.
Reflecting on the political climate that birthed the APC, Na’Allah recalled the dominance of the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“Now, don’t forget that the ruling party then was PDP. When APC came, we were very few members who believed that the trajectory of the PDP over the years had not succeeded in giving Nigerians the comfort to say their country was in safe hands,” he explained.
Addressing the recent wave of defections specifically, Na’Allah stressed that the ultimate test for the party lies in the performance of these leaders at the state level.
“These defections that we are talking about are made by people who hold authority in their various states. To a larger extent, what they are able to do in those states will determine the followership,” he concluded.
