Ben Murray-Bruce APC defection draws praise as he backs Tinubu’s reforms, exits PDP, and joins Nigeria’s ruling party in a strategic move

Ben Murray-Bruce APC defection has sparked fresh political buzz as the former Bayelsa East senator formally exited the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s economic direction.

Also read: Ben Murray-Bruce defects to APC, praises Tinubu’s reforms

In a personal statement posted to his social media on Wednesday, Murray-Bruce praised President Tinubu’s “deep understanding of finance” and his commitment to a free-market economy, calling the administration’s ongoing reforms “the foundation for Nigeria’s future prosperity.”

This Ben Murray-Bruce APC defection marks a significant shift for the media entrepreneur and politician, who was previously known as a vocal PDP stalwart.

He credited Tinubu’s economic policies and security efforts—particularly under National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu—as major factors in his decision, noting that national threats are being “quietly and systematically dismantled.”

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, warmly welcomed the move, hailing Murray-Bruce’s courage and political clarity.

“My dear elder brother @benmurraybruce, I want to specially welcome you to the progressive family,” Keyamo wrote on X. “Your antecedents of forthrightness, outspokenness, and altruism make the APC a natural home for you. As of today, you are automatically a co-owner of the house in your state, not a back-bencher.”

The Ben Murray-Bruce APC defection also comes amid a wave of political realignments in the South-South region, including the resignation of Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri and several local government chairmen from the PDP.

Observers view Murray-Bruce’s defection as both strategic and symbolic, reinforcing the APC’s growing appeal among elites previously aligned with the opposition.