In a significant development ahead of the 2027 general elections, Delta State’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership, headed by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
At a ceremony attended by a large crowd at the Cenotaph in Asaba on Monday, Oborevwori, Okowa, and other prominent figures from the oil-rich state were welcomed into the APC, just days after announcing their departure from the PDP.
They were officially received into the party by senior APC figures, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, the party’s National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, and Governor Hope Uzodimma, Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, among others.
Speaking at the event, Governor Oborevwori described the move as historic, stating it was motivated by the desire to secure the best future for Delta State.
“What you are witnessing today is a movement, not a defection. We consulted widely with stakeholders at all levels. Mr President has demonstrated genuine affection towards us,” said Oborevwori, a former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly.
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He explained that the decision to switch parties followed extensive consultations and was influenced by President Bola Tinubu’s evident support for Delta State.
“We cannot, in good conscience, oppose him in 2027. The love for him among our people is organic,” Oborevwori asserted.
He further disclosed that all members of the Delta State House of Assembly, along with state executive members, council chairmen, councillors, and other local government officials, had agreed to move to the APC.
The defection marked the end of the PDP’s 26-year dominance in Delta, a move that has stunned political observers and added new dynamics to the evolving political landscape. Okowa, who was the PDP vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, reiterated the rationale behind the shift.
“Today is a historic day for Delta State. Our decision to defect is in the best interest of our people,” Okowa told supporters.
He emphasised that the move was not for personal gain but was necessary to forge stronger ties with the federal government.
“This is a bold, patriotic, and well-intentioned step,” he said.
Vice President Shettima, who led the APC delegation, described the defections as a political “tsunami” and an unprecedented event in the history of the South-South and Nigeria as a whole.
“This is a political tsunami of unimaginable proportions, the likes of which we have never seen before in the South-South region or indeed across Nigeria,” Shettima declared, welcoming the new members into the party.
