Former Senator Ben Murray-Bruce has officially announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing his support for President Bola Tinubu’s economic and structural reforms.
Murray-Bruce, who represented Bayelsa East in the Senate from 2015 to 2019 under the PDP, made the announcement in a statement shared via his social media platforms on Wednesday.
He said his decision was not driven by politics, but by a belief in the direction the country is headed under Tinubu’s leadership.
“I have known President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu since 1998. I know the man’s mind, his courage, and his conviction. He is not driven by applause; he is driven by results,” Murray-Bruce stated.
He praised the administration’s ongoing reforms as difficult but necessary steps to rebuild the economy, describing them as “the foundation of tomorrow’s prosperity.”
“For the first time in our nation’s history, we have a President who truly understands finance — who sees the economy not as a political slogan, but as a living organism that must be disciplined, deregulated, and allowed to breathe,” he said.
Murray-Bruce credited Tinubu with restoring confidence in the Central Bank, improving national security, and revitalising infrastructure across the country.
He noted improvements in foreign investment, fuel deregulation, and a more respected foreign policy, while acknowledging the ongoing hardship faced by Nigerians due to the reforms.
“I know it is still a difficult season for many families. But as history teaches, reform is never painless. Yet, it is in these moments of sacrifice that nations are reborn.”
The former lawmaker concluded by expressing confidence in Tinubu’s leadership and predicting “phenomenal growth” over the president’s full eight-year term.
“I am joining the APC not for politics, but for progress,” he declared. “I choose to stand with the future.”
Murray-Bruce’s defection comes on the same day Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri also announced his resignation from the PDP, a move that is expected to further reshape the political landscape in the South-South region.
