APC Dominance Reaches New Peak as Opposition Crumbles: Ruling Party Now Controls 30 States

By Emmanuel Kwada 

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has expanded its grip to 30 out of the country’s 36 states following the high-profile defection of Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling party.

Governor Fintiri’s switch, announced on Friday, marks the latest in a series of defections by opposition governors that have steadily bolstered the APC’s dominance ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Adamawa state Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri

The move pushes the ruling party to an unprecedented level of control, leaving the PDP with just three remaining governors in Bauchi, Oyo, and Zamfara, while smaller parties hold the remaining three states: Labour Party in Abia, APGA in Anambra, and Accord in Osun.

A regional breakdown highlights the APC’s sweeping influence. In the South-south geopolitical zone, the party now commands all six states—Delta, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Cross River, Rivers, and Bayelsa—achieving a perfect 6/6 sweep.

Similarly, the North-central region is fully under APC control with all six states—Benue, Niger, Kwara, Nasarawa, Kogi, and Plateau—falling in line.

The North-west remains nearly monolithic for the APC, with six out of seven states—Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kano, and now effectively reinforced—under its umbrella, leaving only Zamfara with a PDP governor.

In the North-east, the APC holds five of six states—Borno, Yobe, Taraba, Gombe, and Adamawa—following Fintiri’s defection, with Bauchi as the lone PDP holdout.

The South-west shows a more mixed picture, where the APC governs four states—Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, and Ondo—while Oyo remains with the PDP and Osun under Accord.

The South-east presents the strongest remaining opposition foothold, with the APC controlling three states—Enugu, Ebonyi, and Imo—but Abia under Labour Party and Anambra under APGA.

Political analysts view this consolidation as a strategic masterstroke by the APC, capitalizing on federal patronage, development promises, and the challenges faced by opposition-led states in accessing resources.

The wave of defections, which accelerated in late 2025 and early 2026, has left the opposition fragmented and struggling to mount a credible challenge.

With the APC now holding sway over more than 83% of Nigeria’s states, questions are mounting about the health of multiparty democracy and the potential implications for the 2027 presidential race.

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