Omokri to el-Rufai: No party defector has ever become Nigeria’s president

Omokri to el-Rufai: No party defector has ever become Nigeria’s president

Former presidential media aide, Reno Omokri, has declared that no Nigerian politician who frequently switches parties has ever succeeded in leading the country.

Omokri made this statement in a social media post on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, arguing that political consistency is crucial for national stability.

According to him, Nigeria’s diverse and complex political landscape demands leaders with steady party affiliations, as frequent defection signals instability.

Citing historical examples, Omokri said, “For the sixty-five years of Nigeria’s existence as an independent nation, nobody who has jumped from party to party has ever become President.”

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He said past Nigerian leaders, including Tafawa Balewa, Shehu Shagari, Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Yar’Adua, and Goodluck Jonathan, remained in a single party throughout their political careers.

He noted that while Muhammadu Buhari moved from the ANPP to form CPC before merging into the APC, it was a structured transition rather than random defections.

Similarly, he pointed out that President Bola Tinubu’s journey from AD to ACN and eventually to APC followed a more organic process rather than opportunistic party-switching.

Omokri warned that politicians who frequently defect weaken democracy and create voter apathy.

“Nigeria is a very diverse country, and this can cause tensions. Only a politically stable person can stabilize the nation. Those who jump from party to party cannot bring stability. They can only bring apathy and anarchy,” he stated.

 

Omokri to el-Rufai: No party defector has ever become Nigeria’s president