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Chief Abayomi Tella, the Ogun State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has declared that members who defected from the party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have effectively reduced themselves to “spectators,” sidelined from decision-making and political relevance.
Speaking in an interview with Daily Sun, Tella reflected on the issues of defections, party unity, democracy and the road to 2027, insisting that political power ultimately resides with Nigerians and not with transient office holders.
Excerpts:
Sometime ago, you granted an interview where you said defectors to APC are now onlookers. How do you justify this assertion?
It is simple logic. You don’t need any scientific proof to see that many of those who defected to APC are merely there for the sake of being there. We have been in opposition for eight years. If we come to power tomorrow and people from the opposition rush in, do you expect us to abandon our loyal members for them?
Initially, defectors may be received with fanfare. But after that nobody reckons with them anymore. When they return to their wards, they are treated like lepers—pushed to the back bench and excluded from decision-making in the day-to-day running of the party.
With the gale of defections confronting the opposition, are you not afraid Nigeria may drift toward a one-party state?
We must be careful not to plunge this democracy into crisis by turning it into a one-party system. That would be dangerous for our hard-earned democracy, and we will resist it. That said, I am not perturbed. PDP was created in 1998. At some point, we had nothing—no councillors, no local government chairmen, no governors. Yet, in time, we rose to power. So, people may defect today with people’s mandate, but they will lose popular support during elections. When we get to the bridge, we shall cross it. Nigerians—not political office holders—will decide in 2027.
In Ogun State, the national PDP chairman, Alhaji Taminu Turaki, recently visited and got a rousing welcome. Does this signal a PDP comeback in 2027?
The facts speak for themselves. That day, it wasn’t just party members who came out en masse—even apolitical citizens joined the excitement. Alhaji Turaki has proven himself a true democrat, committed to taking PDP to the next level. Since his swearing-in, his actions have shown clear direction, and people are watching and listening. They wanted to hear from him, and they were not disappointed. He is highly welcome, and the signs are encouraging.
Your last congress in Ibadan came with challenges, including court injunctions. Is the party now more united?
If you want to be a true politician, you must not be afraid of challenges. It depends on what you mean by challenges and the context. Court injunctions are not new. Even in councillorship elections, some people rush to court. The real fear is often the judicial process, but I believe the judiciary understands the mood of the people and will do what is right.
We followed due process in convening the convention. We notified INEC within the required 21 days. Supreme Court precedents have clearly stated that such matters are internal party affairs, not the business of INEC or the courts. As far as I am concerned, the elected officials are valid and will remain so.
From January, the political calendar will roll out. How prepared is the PDP?
Don’t forget, we are the opposition. Incumbents tend to relax; opposition parties must stay alert. Defeating an incumbent is never easy, which is why we have not relented in mobilising and galvanising our people. In the last election, we actually won, but the court decided otherwise. We accepted the verdict and moved on. Now, we are ready. Clearly, we shall defeat them in 2027.
You were once in AD, which later became APC, and now you are in PDP. Has this affected your ideology?
Let me be very clear. Progressive, conservative—these are just acronyms. Who is truly a progressive? Is he progressive in character? Who is a conservative, and is he truly a conservative? What matters is delivering democratic dividends to the people. In whichever party you belong to, are you doing the right thing? Politics should function like the four wheels of a rotary—balanced and purposeful. As we approach the election cycle—because 2026 will determine who emerges in 2027—I urge our people to be conscious of the kind of candidates they nominate. I have said it before: some politicians should undergo psychiatric evaluation before holding office, to ensure they are mentally fit for leadership.
