Chief George Moghalu, a former prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and recent Labour Party governorship candidate in Anambra State, has issued a stark warning to opposition groups eyeing the 2027 presidential election. He stated that dislodging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling APC from power will be an arduous battle, far from a simple undertaking.
Opposition Fragmentation is a Major Hurdle
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Moghalu emphasized that the current opposition landscape is too divided to mount an effective challenge against an incumbent government. He stressed that history has proven that removing a sitting administration demands unity of purpose, sacrifice, and collective resolve among rival political forces.
"Let me repeat what I have consistently said: removing an incumbent is not a tea party," Moghalu declared. "The only way you can remove an incumbent or present a credible and formidable opposition is when there is unity of purpose among opposition political parties and leaders."
Learning from the APC's 2015 Playbook
Moghalu, a founding member and former National Auditor of the APC, drew a direct parallel to the ruling party's own origins. He recalled how the APC itself was born from a successful merger of several opposition parties—including the ACN, CPC, ANPP, a faction of APGA, and the DPN—which finally unseated the then-dominant Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.
He pointed to the earlier, failed attempts by fragmented opposition parties. "We presented Buhari in 2003 and 2007 and he lost. He ran again in 2011 on the platform of CPC and lost because the opposition was fragmented," Moghalu noted. "It was not just a merger or an alliance. It was a case of everyone dropping personal ambition and ego." He argued that this model remains the only viable path to victory today.
Moghalu further contended that a strong opposition ultimately benefits the Nigerian populace. "When the opposition is formidable, the incumbent sits up. Governance improves. It is the people that benefit, not opposition leaders," he said.
On Party Defections and the Power of Incumbency
Addressing internal party dynamics and defections, particularly by sitting governors, Moghalu highlighted the reality of Nigerian politics where the influence of incumbency often trumps merit. He explained that governors naturally assume leadership roles in their state parties due to the resources and power of their office, not necessarily their qualifications.
On the morality of elected officials defecting to other parties, Moghalu was clear. "The ballot paper bears the name of the party, not the candidate. Morally, it is not justifiable to take the people’s mandate to another party without their consent." He suggested that the sincere course of action for any defector is to first resign from their position.
When asked if the APC's performance was driving defections, Moghalu maintained that political realignments in Nigeria are largely transactional and interest-based, rather than driven by governance performance.
Despite the current dominance of the APC, Moghalu dismissed fears of Nigeria becoming a one-party state, noting the dynamic nature of politics. "We have seen this before. The PDP once controlled about 29 states and today it has about six... Nobody can accurately predict the future of the APC," he concluded.
The former chieftain, who is still consulting on his own political future—whether to stay in the Labour Party, join the ADC, or return to the APC—described political parties as interest-driven platforms rather than ideological institutions.
