ASABA: In a major political shake-up ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Delta State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
At a massive ceremony held Monday at the Cenotaph in Asaba, the state capital, Oborevwori, Okowa, and several political figures from the oil-rich state were formally welcomed into the APC. Their defection comes just days after announcing their departure from the PDP.
Top APC leaders, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, and Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who chairs the Progressive Governors’ Forum, were present to receive them.
Describing the move as “historic,” Governor Oborevwori said it was motivated by a genuine desire to secure the best future for Delta State.
“What you are witnessing today is not just a defection it is a movement,” Oborevwori said, emphasizing that the decision followed wide consultations with stakeholders and was inspired by President Bola Tinubu’s “organic” love for Delta.
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Oborevwori further revealed that all members of the Delta State House of Assembly, state executive council, local government chairmen, and councilors had agreed to move en masse to the APC.
The collapse of the PDP’s structure in Delta, a stronghold for 26 years, came as a stunning blow to many Nigerians. It has added a dramatic twist to the political landscape just two years before the next national polls. Notably, Okowa was the PDP’s vice presidential candidate in the 2023 elections.
The defection has triggered widespread debate among citizens and political analysts. Although the PDP expressed surprise, it maintained that it is not concerned about the long-term impact of the move.
Speaking at the event, Okowa reiterated that the decision was made in the “best interest of our people, calling it a bold and necessary step to ensure Delta remains connected to the central government.
This is bigger than me or Governor Oborevwori. We took this step for the good of Delta State. It is a patriotic, thoughtful decision,” Okowa declared.
Vice President Shettima, who led the APC delegation, praised the move as a political earthquake.
This is a political tsunami of unprecedented scale, something never before seen in the history of the South-South and Nigeria as a whole,” Shettima stated.
