Former senator and media entrepreneur, Ben Murray-Bruce, on Tuesday announced his defection from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing his conviction that President Bola Tinubu’s reform-driven administration is steering Nigeria in the right direction.
In a statement personally signed and released on Tuesday, Mr Murray-Bruce, who represented Bayelsa East Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, described President Tinubu as a visionary leader with the “mind, courage, and conviction” to rebuild Nigeria through painful but necessary economic and institutional reforms.
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“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. And today, I can boldly say to you that he is on the right track,” he said.
Mr Murray-Bruce, who until recently was one of the prominent voices of the PDP, lauded Mr Tinubu’s economic policies, describing them as the “foundation of tomorrow’s prosperity.” He said the administration’s decision to remove fuel subsidies and float the naira marked a bold transition towards a free-market economy that rewards productivity and innovation rather than “dependency and distortion.”
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“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 added.
The former senator also commended improvements in national security and monetary policy under Tinubu, saying the appointment of a “professional and effective” National Security Adviser had quietly restructured Nigeria’s security framework. He noted that the Central Bank, now “professionally steered,” was stabilising the economy and restoring confidence in the naira.
He further highlighted what he described as Mr Tinubu’s “unprecedented” infrastructural drive — encompassing roads, ports, airports, and housing schemes — which, he said, were the “arteries through which growth and opportunity now flow.”
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Acknowledging the current economic hardships facing Nigerians, Mr Murray-Bruce urged citizens to be patient, insisting that meaningful reforms often come with short-term pain.
“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,” he said.
Declaring his decision to join the APC, the founder of the Silverbird Group said his move was not about political expediency but a commitment to national progress and the vision of a modern, reformed Nigeria.
“That is why today, I am joining the All Progressives Congress (APC), not for politics, but for progress. Because I believe that Bola Tinubu’s leadership, guided by courage and intellect, will deliver the Nigeria we have all dreamed of,” he stated.
He predicted that by the end of Mr Tinubu’s eight-year tenure, Nigeria would witness “phenomenal growth,” adding: “I choose to stand with that vision. I choose to stand with reform. I choose to stand with the future.”
Mr Ben Murray-Bruce, 68, is a businessman, politician, and founder of the Silverbird Group, one of Nigeria’s leading media and entertainment conglomerates, owners of Silverbird Television, Rhythm FM, and the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) pageant.
An advocate of good governance and private-sector innovation, Mr Murray-Bruce entered politics under the PDP and was elected senator representing Bayelsa East in 2015.
During his tenure in the Senate, he became known for his populist and often reform-minded rhetoric, coining the phrase “common sense revolution” to promote practical, people-centred governance.
Before now, Mr Murray-Bruce was a vocal critic of the Muhammadu Buhari-led APC governments, frequently calling out policy failures and governance lapses under former President Buhari. His defection to the ruling party marks a significant political realignment and a major endorsement of President Tinubu’s reform agenda.
With his entry into the APC, Mr Murray-Bruce joins a growing list of former opposition figures and political elites crossing over to the ruling party in recent months, signalling renewed momentum for Mr Tinubu’s political coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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