In a major political earthquake, measuring a high Richter magnitude, Okowa, a Vice Presidential candidate, Oborevwori, governor of Nigeria’s oil rich Delta state, along with all LG chairmen and the party’s political apparatchik defect to the ruling party!

•APC welcomes defectors, gives deadline of May 29 

•Wike salutes Okowa

•Why it matters 

•What we know 

•What happens next

Chuks Okocha, Olawale Ajimotokan, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja, Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo, Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba, Segun James in Lagos and Sylvester Idowu in Warri

In a move that might have altered existing permutations, dismantled political structures, refocused the battle for 2027 and dealt a death blow on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Delta State governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the party, Ifeanyi Okowa; the incumbent Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, along with the entire local governments’ chairmen in the state and party apparatchik, yesterday, quit the PDP en bloc with all of their structures and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Expectedly, this move is to further consolidate the chances of President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential run, when he would be seeking a re-election.

Apart from the Delta PDP forces, more states in the South-south are still being expected to join the APC as the intending defectors were said to have been handed a deadline of on or before May 29 to join the ruling party.

While Akwa Ibom and Rivers State have been touted as two of the likely states to follow suit, the Akwa Ibom State Government, has denied speculations that Governor Umo Eno, was also planning to defect to the APC.

Interestingly, the unfurling developments are pointing to a possible south versus north scenario in the 2027 elections, just as the current calculus are also suggesting that the PDP might be forced to consider a northern candidate with the core of its southern base now being eroded.

Nevertheless, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC and the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, have welcomed the decision by Oborevwori and Okowa to join the party, saying the state being an APC state would contribute maximally to the Renewed Hope Agenda.

However, shocked at the development, a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Olabode George, has asked former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to leave party because of their alleged anti-party activities.

In a related development, a sixth-term House of Representatives Member, Oluwole Oke Representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency in Osun State, has also resigned from the PDP, after reportedly consulting with his political associates, friends, and family members.

Announcing the Delta PDP decision to join APC, a former PDP gubernatorial aspirant Senator James Manager, said the decision to resign en masse from the PDP climaxed widespread and prolonged consultation with all stakeholders in the state, referring to the PDP as an irretrievably sinking boat.

Manager lamented that a presidential candidate of the PDP, as presently constituted, did not stand a chance against the incumbent President Bola Tinubu, under the APC, in 2027.

Announcing the defection after a meeting with leaders and stakeholders of the PDP in the state, at Government House, yesterday, in Asaba, Manager, who is the pioneer Delta State chairman of the PDP in the state, said the decision was taken following due consultation with various stakeholders across the state.

Manager was flanked during the briefing by the Commissioner for Works (Rural and Riverine Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, Chief Press Secretary to the Delta State Governor, Sir Festus Ahon, and Executive Assistant to the Governor on Public Enlightenment, Projects and Policies, Sir Olisa Ifeajika.

“You have just been told about some of the things that have been happening in the PDP Delta State. Some consultations have been going on and the climax of these consultations is what you are seeing today.

“We have discussed and have disagreed to agree, and it is a unanimous agreement. I am the pioneer state chairman of the PDP, but you cannot be in a boat that is already capsizing because I am a riverine man.

“Looking at issues the way they are, we have come to the inevitable conclusion to do something else. It is a collective decision for so many reasons.

“A few days ago, there was a resolution taken by the PDP Governors’ forum at Ibadan. Almost all the governors were there and they resolved that they are not going into coalition with any other party.

“But as disadvantaged as the PDP is now with about 11 governors, how do you go into a contest with an incumbent president? You think you can win? That particular resolution killed the spirit of so many PDP members.

“We lost election in 2015 as a result of a merger which even included splinter groups from the PDP. There are also other reasons.

“Today, Senator Anyanwu is the National Secretary of the party, tomorrow it’s another person. The party must be positioned to go into an election to win. So you see that it is becoming very funny. The PDP is truly in trouble.

“If you look well, the current PDP state chairman was in the meeting, the governor was there, the Deputy governor, the immediate past governor, the speaker. All of these persons were in the meeting. National Assembly members and even the House of Assembly members. The who is who in Delta State was in the meeting to make this decision,” he said.

Aniagwu, who also spoke, said the decision became necessary following the unfortunate happenings at the national level of the party.

“For some time now the media, particularly the social media have been awash as to what political decisions that we are going to be taking in Delta.

“While that was on, the governor and the leaders of the party have been very busy carrying out some necessary consultations and it is also part of that consultation that has resulted in this meeting today for the leaders of the PDP to be able to advise as to what necessary steps that needed to be taken.

“It is said that when the taste of the palm wine changes, the drinking pattern also changes and the leaders of the party were unanimous in their view that the political temperature has changed. 

“And there was a need for change that will help cement the development in our state; to build the bond of love that has existed in our state and to further advance the security and welfare of our people.

“Like you know, every politics is local. So in taking this decision, we came to the inevitable conclusion that moving out of the PDP is very necessary for us to collaborate with our kits and kin and build that bond that we have been enjoying.

“We believe that what is happening in the PDP at the national can be likened to that Palm wine whose taste has changed and that is why this decision has been taken. By the grace of God, on Monday next week, we would be able to make a bold statement that we are moving to the APC.”

With Oborevwori now in APC colours, the South South’s political map tightens as the new alignment enhances President Bola Tinubu’s re election calculus by adding roughly 1.4 million Delta votes to the ruling party.

At the meeting, all stakeholders, leaders and members of the PDP resolved to join Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to move to the APC and would be received at a rally by Vice President, Kashim Shettima at the Cenotaph, in Asaba, on Monday.

The PDP stakeholders meeting was attended by the Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme; immediate past Governor of the State and former Vice-Presidential candidate of the party, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and members of the National Assembly.

Also in attendance were the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Emomotimi Guwor and his colleagues; Commissioners, Local Government Council Chairmen, top government functionaries, stakeholders, leaders and party officials.

Why It Matters

It is, however, important to understand the import of this development and one of the reasons it matters is because it concerns the implosion of the former ruling party and now the main opposition party, after being in power for 16 years, and coming 10 years after it lost power. Again, it matters because Delta State is a rich and strategic state, with the highest revenue from FAAC, and with access to between N60 billion to N100 billion every month.

In addition, this defection matters because as the heartbeat of Nigeria, Delta is home to six major ethnic groups with impact and influence beyond its borders. For instance, with the Ijaws of Delta South, whose influence reaches Bayelsa, Rivers and Ondo States, it had since put the PDP in control of Bayelsa and Rivers States.

The question to ask is therefore: Will Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State and Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State join their kits and kin in Delta in the ruling APC, given that one of their stalwarts, Senator James Manager of Delta, was the one who announced the defection in Delta?

While the Igbo-speaking Delta North could influence Anambra and Enugu into the APC, the Itsekiri of the South will be comfortable with their Yoruba kits and kin in the South-west. To that extent, it is with the Urhobo of Delta Central that the impact of this defection will be most felt.

This is because Governor Oborevwori is Urhobo, along with his erstwhile opponent and leader of the APC, former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, who is also Urhobo. Senator David Dafinone, too, is an Urhobo, alongside the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo. That is where the battle for the governorship will take place.

Keyamo, it will be recalled, was one of those who facilitated the defection to counter the influence of Omo-Agege’s influence. With Delta safely in APC, one impact will be stability in oil production, given that a lot of the militants and oil pipeline contractors, led by Tompolo are also from Delta.

Thus, with Delta APC’s hold, it will have an impact across southern Nigeria, up to Akwa Ibom, all of whom had already declared their support, and Cross River as well. What to watch out for, will be a rift for Delta governorship, where Omo-Agege may want to challenge Oborevwori. But with Oborevwori now with him in the same party, the battle line will be drawn.

It is also worthy of note that, there was speculation yesterday that Omo-Agege may want to return to the Senate, and dislodge Dafinone. But Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President may not want that to happen, because if Omo-Agege goes to the Senate, he will challenge him for Senate Presidency. So, those are some of the dynamics at play in Delta.

These are some of the reasons it matters. It will definitely have an impact in the presidential race in Nigeria and across the South-south. With Okowa going now, it shows that APC may now be finding its roots as a Southern party, and could lead to a North-South divide.

What We Know

With the current state of play, what is known is that Okowa and the governor felt they were not consulted by Abubakar Atiku and his group in the coalition that they were trying to form and that the Northern elements had gathered and agreed on the new idea, even before they invited them as joiners.

They are of the view that if they were serious about Southerners, they would have invited them as co-conveners, but they had already made up their mind to form a coalitionbefore inviting them. Therefore, the governor and Okowa did not want to be joiners. The announcement by the APC recognised them as foundation members of APC, and not as joiners.

So, the view, especially Okowa’s is that Atiku in trying to run for presidency, again, will ensure the presidency goes to the North in the coalition party, and having made their errors in the past, he believes it is South’s turn to produce the presidency, and that the way the coalition is, it is going for a Northern candidate, and they don’t want to be the party that will remove the presidency from the South, hence, theirsupport for Tinubu.

What Happens Next?

Next in the unfolding developments is to watch the following states: Oyo and Osun as well as Akwa Ibom, which has already declared support for the president but remained silent on defection because of certain concerns. Also, to watch is Enugu, Abia, as well as Anambra or APGA. Governor Chukwuma Soludo is already in some sort of alliance with the ruling party. So, he’s planning to support Tinubu to secure his own re-election.

Alex Otti was Tinubu’s banker. Even if he is in the Labour Party (LP) during the day, he’s Tinubu’s friend at night. Akwa Ibom already said it is going with Tinubu head or tail. Osun is likely to work for Tinubu since Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election is at stake. Seyi Makinde is reticent to follow Tinubu now, because he feels that he supported Tinubu in 2023, but till now, he has not got any reward. Not even an appointment of any of his aides. So, he is angry with the president. But mediations are ongoing between the two of them.

So, while all those are in negotiations, it is important to stress that they are all Wike’s supporters and friends. In other words, they are still waiting. Essentially, at the end of the day, what happens is that most southern states are likely to go the APC way, while APC tries to woo the North Central States as a counter to the core north. That is if the north insists on its coalition producing a northern candidate.

This is because the Tinubu camp believes it’s the turn of the South, and they’ve said that they must spend eight years, and that’s what they are saying across the board.

APC Commends Decision to Join Ruling Party

The National Working Committee of All Progressives Congress (APC) has commended the Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, Ifeanyi Okowa and others, for their decision to join the party.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka in a statement, said: “Our great party welcomes this important development, and assures the governor and incoming leaders and members of Delta PDP of our fullest cooperation and accommodation in the APC family. 

“With this move, coming on the heels of steady decamping of PDP leaders and members across the state to APC, including members of Delta Unity Group in Ika federal constituency, we are delighted that Delta State, now an APC state, stands poised to contribute maximally to the success and realisation of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and to the enduring good and prosperity of Deltans and all Nigerians.”

Meanwhile, the APC in Delta State handed direction on how the entrants into the party could go about their formal registration.

In a statement titled:  “Notice of Collection of Registration Booklets By Local Government Chairmen” signed by State Publicity Secretary, Valentine Onojeghuo, the party leadership welcomes the new intakes and immediately moved to formalise their membership

“I have been directed by the State Chairman, Elder Omeni Sobotie, to notify all Local Government Chairmen of the party to visit the State Secretariat of the Party for the collection of Registration Booklets for onward distribution to the various ward chairmen for the purpose of issuing membership cards to the numerous new members to ensure the timely and efficient formalization of their membership.

“We also encourage all new members to approach the Party ward chairmen/offices for registration and ensure they complete the necessary formalities.”

Welcoming all new members and looking forward to their contributions, the party gave definite timeline for the collection of the registration booklets as today, April 24 at the party secretariat by 11am.

Wike Hails Okowa, Delta Gov’s Support for Tinubu

FCT Minister,  Nyesom Wike, has commended former Governor of Delta State and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Vice-Presidential Candidate in the 2023 election, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, for supporting President Bola Tinubu.

In a statement yesterday,  by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media,  Lere Olayinka, urged other Nigerians,  who were still sitting on the fence to throw in their support for the president.

“It is another endorsement of the president’s good governance and commitment to the development of the country,” he said.

He described the open endorsement of the President by Okowa,  who incidentally was the running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,  as a vindication of the position he took in 2023, which was based on the interest of a united Nigeria.

“I commend Dr. Okowa and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for this heart-warming decision, which must have been informed by good governance and commitment of President Bola Tinubu to the oneness and development of Nigeria.

“That is what I have always told people to come out and say, not when they have problems and begin to run up and down.  “They have come out at the right time to show support for the President so that the people of Niger Delta can benefit more from the government, and I commend them.

“I am particularly happy that what I saw before the 2023 presidential election, others are now seeing and are joining the Renewed Hope train,” Wike said.

Bode George: Atiku, Wike Should Leave PDP

A former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Bode George, has expressed shock following the gale of defections from the PDP in Delta State, saying those leaving were going to uncertainty.

“I am shell-shocked. How can our governors from an organised party defect to an unorganised party like APC with only two people – President Bola Tinubu and All Progressives Congress (APC), National Chairman, Ganduje – dictatorially controlling the party?” he asked.

The PDP chief stressed that the APC was a party of strange bed-fellows and “I urge Deltans not to follow Oborevwori to APC because Delta is a PDP state from 1999 and it shall remain so.

“Presidency and APC are using instruments of state to coerce PDP governors to defect to APC. They are being threatened. PDP sponsored Oborevwori as governorship candidate. So, he has to leave office.

“Attempts to turn Nigeria to a one-party state will fail. What has APC done since 2015 that will warrant any PDP governor to defect to the party?”

However, George, has advised Atiku and Wike, to leave PDP immediately because of their various anti-party activities. He said the party was being embarrassed by the open display of affinity by the two to the APC.

George, in a statement, also advised Tinubu to create a Special Fund account where Managing Directors of banks would deposit, at least, N20 billion each annually to alleviate the suffering of the masses.

Addressing the PDP crisis, he wondered why Atiku and Wike should be hobnobbing with opposition elements and still claimed to be part of the PDP structure.

He said: “What exactly is going on? Anybody who is tired of PDP should leave and join another party. Enough of this embarrassment. As a founding elder of this party, I will not watch while some people openly disrespect the party. It is impossible.

“General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) remains my boss but he is not a member of our party. So, why is Atiku hobnobbing with him politically? Is he not guilty of anti-party offence already? The other day, President Bola Tinubu told Wike that APC must win the council election in FCT and he agreed.

“Wike has been given a direct order to win FCT for APC and he still claims to be a member of PDP. Are people now shameless politically that they cannot be principled? Where is the leadership of our party? Why are they tolerating Atiku and Wike? Why are they allowing the duo to continue to embarrass our party publicly?

“Now, some governors are joining them to endorse Tinubu’s reelection in 2027. I ask again: what exactly is going on in our party? Has discipline gone to the dogs? Has everything broken down completely? Has sanity taken flight in the way we run the party now?

“Nigerians are yearning for change, which only the PDP can offer because ours is the only organised party. Apart from Ganduje, who else do you know in APC NWC? APC is a one-man show being controlled from the Villa,” he said.

Osun Rep, Wole Oke, Quits PDP

A member of the House of Representatives from Obokun/ Oriade Federal Constituency in Osun State, Oluwole Oke,yesterday, left the PDP.

Oke, a six-term lawmaker representing  the consistency said he decided to leave the PDP after consulting with his political associates, friends, and family members.

His resignation letter, which was sighted by THISDAY, was dated April 16, 2025 and addressed to the PDP Chairman in Ward 7, Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State.

Oke also confirmed his resignation in a brief chat on telephone interview, saying “I have resigned from the PDP.”

Meanwhile, Obokun PDP stakeholders have reaffirmed their commitment to the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The stakeholders in their meeting held yesterday said the administration of Adeleke has done enough in the local government hence their resolve to drum their support.

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