NDC Alleges Bribery As 12 Members Defect To APC

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of bribing some of its candidates with money, political appointments and other incentives to defect, describing their departure as “good riddance to bad rubbish.”

The opposition party said the defections were driven by pecuniary interests rather than ideological convictions, insisting that those who left were never genuinely committed to its values.

Some of the defectors had already been cleared to contest the 2027 elections on the NDC platform before they defected.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, the NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said the party was aware of what it described as the APC’s desperate attempts to weaken its ranks ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The party said those who had defected in exchange for material benefits lacked the values and commitment required of its members.

“To them, we say good riddance to bad rubbish, and we wish them luck in their political misadventures,” the statement said.

The NDC, however, declared that the defections would not derail its political ambitions, announcing plans to conduct fresh congresses to elect replacement candidates in the affected constituencies.

“In line with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, the party will immediately conduct fresh congresses to elect credible, competent, and trustworthy candidates to replace the defectors,” it stated.

The party urged its members and supporters not to be discouraged by the alleged inducement of some of its candidates, describing the development as evidence of the ruling party’s desperation.

“These are the last kicks of a dying horse that has seen the handwriting on the wall of its imminent defeat,” the NDC declared.

It reaffirmed its commitment to challenging the APC in the forthcoming elections, saying its mission was to rescue Nigeria from what it called the “vice grip of the buccaneers in power.”

The party also pledged to offer Nigerians improved governance, security and prosperity.

The 12 members of the NDC who defected to the APC included nine House of Representatives candidates and three State House of Assembly candidates.

The defectors were led by Aslam Aliyu Zamfara and were formally received at the ruling party’s national secretariat by the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda.