The General Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), High Chief Peter Ameh, has said that the recent defections of the Enugu and Bayelsa State Governors to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will not guarantee them victory in the 2027 general elections.
Ameh, who is also a former National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), described the defections as acts of political desperation rather than strategic alignment or public service.
“No defection can save a leader who has lost touch with his people,” Ameh declared in Abuja. “Those running to the ruling party are not seeking to serve — they are seeking protection.”
He said many political leaders still cling to the outdated belief that joining the ruling party ensures political survival, warning that such thinking betrays a deep disconnect from the realities of Nigerian voters.
“The truth is that Nigerians have outgrown party labels. The 2023 elections proved it beyond doubt. In Southern Kaduna, an okada rider unseated established politicians. In Enugu, the Labour Party upended years of PDP dominance because the people wanted change,” Ameh said.
According to him, the defections by the two governors reflect “fear — not faith.” He argued that governors who have performed well should have no need to seek refuge in the ruling party.
“If a leader is truly serving his people, he should draw his strength from their trust, not from proximity to federal power. Running to the APC shows fear of accountability and loss of influence, not confidence in service delivery,” he noted.
Ameh warned that the electorate in both Enugu and Bayelsa States are too politically sophisticated to be swayed by party switching or federal backing.
“The people of these states are not naïve. They know who is working and who is not. No amount of federal power can override the will of an awakened electorate,” he said.
He further accused defecting politicians of undermining democracy by treating party platforms as temporary shelters rather than instruments of governance and reform.
“These politicians are not seeking partnership with the people but protection from them. They jump ship instead of fixing the mess in their parties,” he stated.
Ameh maintained that the 2027 general elections would not be determined by party structures or propaganda but by performance, integrity, and credibility.
“2027 will be a reckoning.
Nigerians are wiser now. They know that leadership is about character, not convenience. Those who have ignored the people will soon discover that the people hold the real power,” he said.
