APC vs PDP: Defection Whirlwind

 

The defection of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State and others from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress may, despite critics’ position, have a domino effect on other states

 

Ademola Adegbamigbe

 

The room was jammed to the rafters by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders on Sunday, 27 April 2025. On the seat was the big fish of the moment, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, who put on a Kangol, shaking his legs with satisfaction that his second term was a done deal. With eclat, Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, whose father is Urhobo and mother from Yewa in Ogun State, combined the courtesies from his two backgrounds and sprang to his feet to address the Governor. There was no need to drag or debate anything again. Keyamo was there to deliver an already packaged message to  Oborevwori that all APC members in Delta are now loyal to him. They are, henceforth, at his beck and call.

The well-appointed room exploded with cheers and clapping. Being an orator since his university days, Keyamo adjusted his face cap, cleared his throat and allowed the cheers to subside. Then, he continued, “We are here today as one unit, the gatekeepers of the party. These are the gatekeepers of the party in Delta State. The three senators… the three are seated here. The only member of the House of Representatives, the only single one, is here. These are the gatekeepers, like I said, of the APC in Delta. Outside this group, there is no APC in Delta. If decisions are to be taken, these are the people who sit down with the state chairman to make a decision regarding the APC. If anybody tells you otherwise, the person must be a comedian.”

Keyamo added that Oborevwori would henceforth be relied on to provide direction for the APC in Delta. “We are here, sir, to wholeheartedly, 100% welcome you to the APC, sir. We welcome you unconditionally, sir. I repeat, sir, we welcome you unconditionally to the APC,” he said.

The minister described Oborevwori’s defection as a blessing to the party, President Bola Tinubu, and the people of the state. “It’s a blessing to us, a blessing to the state, a blessing to Mr President, a blessing to the good people of Delta state that Delta state is now aligned with the ruling party at the centre, so the synergy will be incredible,” he said.

“As our leader, undisputed leader, we wholeheartedly surrender to your leadership and ask for directions at all times. When you say we go, we go. When you say you don’t go, we don’t go. That is the state as it is today. There is no division today, sir, it is blended as one in Delta state.”

The process began on Wednesday, April 23, when Oborevwori, his predecessor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) bigwigs in Delta state defected to the APC. Charles Aniagwu, the state’s commissioner for information, said the decision received unanimous backing from PDP leaders in Delta, driven by the shared goal of promoting unity, enhancing security, and advancing development in the state. He said the leadership of the PDP in the state came to an “inevitable conclusion” that leaving the party was the only way to ensure political stability.

“The decision was taken to build the bond of love that has existed in our state, to further advance the cause of security and welfare of our people, and to a very large extent, ensure that development in Delta, because every politics is local,” Aniagwu said.

“And in taking that decision, we came to the inevitable conclusion that moving out of the PDP is very, very necessary for us to be able to collaborate with our kith and kin and build that state that every Deltan will be proud of.”

The commissioner claimed PDP in Delta has lost its flavour and can no longer serve the aspirations of its people. “We believe that what is happening and the state of the PDP is akin to that palm wine whose taste has changed, and there was a need for us to change the drinking pattern,” he said.

“And that is why this decision has been taken unanimously by leaders and stakeholders of the party.

“By the grace of God, Monday next week, we will be able to make a very big statement after the fact that we are moving into the APC.”

The big statement was actually made on Monday, 28 April, with a big rally where the Governor and Delta PDP leaders were officially accepted into the APC. The event was attended by VP Kashim Shettima, APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Governors Biodun Oyebanji, Ekiti; Hope Uzodinma, Imo; Bassey Otu, Cross River; Monday Okpebholo, Edo; Ahmed Usman Ododo, Kogi; Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, Kwara; Mai Mala Buni, Yobe State, Dikko Radda, Katsina; Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State and others.

That day, Ganduje presented the APC Flag and Broom to the Delta State Governor, to officially welcome him into the Party.

At the Monday rally, Oborevwori said, “What you have seen here today is a movement, not a defection. We have consulted stakeholders at all levels. Mr President has shown us love. We cannot face him in 2027 to work against him. When you consult widely, you can see that love is organic.”

Okowa also told everyone present, “It is a great day for us in Delta State. When the news broke out on Wednesday, the 23rd of April 2025, that we had decided to change our path, people wondered why. But one thing is very important: in the history of a people, there is always a time to change a path for the common good of the people, and whatever decision that we took was based on that common good and the need to change our path in the best interest of our state.”

Okowa, who was the Delta State governor from 2015 to 2023, explained that the decision was motivated by the need to establish stronger ties with the federal government at the centre.

“As I did tell people that day, it was not about me, it was not about the governor, but the fact that there is a need for us to connect to Abuja, that goodwill that is in Abuja, that resource that is in Abuja of which Delta is a large contributor, there is a need to connect to it. I was governor for eight years; I did my best, but we lost a lot, and I did not believe that the governor needed to stay working very hard without tapping into that,” Okowa stated.

“But as the governor is doing a lot for us, he also needs to connect to the greater source of power, resources, and goodwill in Abuja,” the former governor added.

Was Senator Omo Agage, former Deputy Senate President, who lost the 2023 governorship election to Oborevwori, angry that he is no longer the APC leader in Delta? No. His response was that the leadership of the Delta State chapter of APC warmly “welcomes His Excellency, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and all leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party into the All Progressives Congress.

“This historic move underscores the success of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in driving growth and development in our country.

“In line with outcomes of deliberations with the national leadership of our party, the Progressive Governors Forum and Delta APC stakeholders, I wish to assure all stakeholders that any issues arising from this development are being carefully considered and managed with prudence and foresight, in the best interests of our party and our beloved state.

“Let us embrace this development with unity, understanding, and a shared commitment to the progress of Delta State and Nigeria.”

Shettima, who was leading the APC delegation at the ceremony, welcomed the new members into the party. He said the defection is a testament to the progressive ideals of Governor Oberevwori and his team in Delta State.

“This is a political tsunami of unimaginable proportions that has never happened in the history of the South-South sub-region and the history of Nigeria,” he said. VP Shettima, at the rally, held up the hands of Oborevwori and Omo-Agege, asking them to work together.

What happened in Delta is, as political watchers put it, going to have a domino effect on other states. In other words, Governors Eno, Siminlayi Fubara, Ademola Adeleke, Musa Kwankwaso, Governor Kabir Sani and others are expected to dump PDP soon and join APC.

From the state level, the APC train has clattered to the National Assembly’s Red Chambers where three political passengers will clamber on board on Tuesday, 13 May, 2025. They are Alhaji Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar Abdullahi (Kebbi North) and Alhaji Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South).

In Jigawa State, the Minority Leader of the House of Assembly, Yahaya Zakari, and hundreds of PDP supporters in the state are potting to the APC.

In the words of Ganduje, the wave of defections would be managed “seamlessly through established party mechanisms.”

In Abuja last week, the three Kebbi Senators met with President Bola Tinubu to formally declare their intention to join the APC

 

However, critics recently went to town, accusing President Tinubu of trying to turn Nigeria into a one-party state. One of such criticisms was in a piece by Richard Akinnola, Abdul Mahmud,

Dr Sam Amadi, Auwa Ibrahim Musa (Rasfajani), Nnimmo Bassey, Adeola Soetan and others.

They wrote: “We are witnessing, with increasing dismay, a calculated and systematic effort by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to dismantle the democratic foundations of our republic and reduce Nigeria to a one-party state.

Under this administration, political pluralism is being eroded not by persuasion or performance, but by bribery, blackmail, and coercion. Serving and former governors, senators, members of the House of Representatives, and key opposition figures are decamping en masse to the ruling party, not out of conviction, but out of fear and pressure. The pattern is disturbingly clear: an invitation by the EFCC for questioning on financial impropriety is swiftly followed by political capitulation…”

 

Here is their argument:

 

Defending Democracy: A Call to Resist the March Toward A One-Party State in Nigeria

 

“Fellow Nigerians, Friends of Democracy,

We, the undersigned democrats, raise our voices in alarm and solidarity at this critical hour in the life of our nation. Nigeria’s democracy—hard-won through decades of struggle, sacrifice, and steadfast resistance against authoritarian rule—is under grave threat.

We are witnessing, with increasing dismay, a calculated and systematic effort by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to dismantle the democratic foundations of our republic and reduce Nigeria to a one-party state.

Under this administration, political pluralism is being eroded not by persuasion or performance, but by bribery, blackmail, and coercion. Serving and former governors, senators, members of the House of Representatives, and key opposition figures are decamping en masse to the ruling party, not out of conviction, but out of fear and pressure. The pattern is disturbingly clear: an invitation by the EFCC for questioning on financial impropriety is swiftly followed by political capitulation. This weaponisation of state institutions for partisan gain corrodes public trust and undermines the integrity of our democracy.

We must say it clearly: a democracy without opposition is not a democracy. The presence of multiple, vibrant parties is not a luxury—it is the lifeblood of any democratic system. It provides citizens with real choices, ensures accountability, encourages debate, and fosters innovation in governance.

The drift toward a one-party state is a betrayal of the ideals that many of us—and indeed President Tinubu himself—fought for during the darkest days of military dictatorship. It is not what we envisioned when we stood in the streets demanding civil rule. It is not what the Constitution guarantees. And it is not what Nigeria’s future demands.

The implications of this creeping authoritarianism are dire:

• We risk returning to a culture of impunity, where the absence of opposition breeds arrogance and unaccountable governance.
• We jeopardise the federal character of our democracy by suffocating the diversity of voices and interests that make up our republic.
• We stifle the political space for young Nigerians to organise, question, and contribute to the national discourse.

This must stop.

We call on Mr President to remember the democratic path that brought him to power, to respect the multi-party architecture of our republic, and to end the persecution and intimidation of opposition leaders. The strength of a democracy lies not in the dominance of one party but in the ability of many to coexist, compete, and cooperate for the good of all.

We urge the Nigerian people, civil society, the media, and the international community to stand vigilant and speak out. History will not be kind to silence in the face of this unfolding danger.

We did not fight to end military dictatorship only to enthrone civilian authoritarianism. We must rise now to defend democracy, or risk losing it forever.”

The Presidency, however, did not allow the missile thrown by these critics to land before intercepting it mid-air.

 

Democracy Strong, Alive in Nigeria; Ignore Alarmists- Presidency

In other words, the Presidency reacted to what it called the alarming claims of disgruntled opposition figures, some partisan human rights crusaders and emergency defenders of democracy over recent defections of key members of opposition parties into the governing All Progressives Congress.

According to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy), in a statement, “The seismic shift caused by Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno’s open declaration of support for President Bola Tinubu, the defection of the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, the former vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last election, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, and the principal political actors in Delta and Rivers States certainly threw the opposition and their sympathisers into disarray.”

While the opposition elements are understandably heartbroken over the failure of their fabled grand coalition to gain traction, Onanuga added, “We find it disturbing that they resorted to peddling false allegations of promoting a one-party State against President Bola Tinubu, who is working very hard to reverse decades of economic mismanagement in our country.”

The Special Adviser argued further: “Contrary to the false claims in the propaganda materials in circulation across mainstream and social media, democracy is not under any threat in Nigeria. Accusations that the administration is moving towards authoritarianism are baseless and exaggerated.

We must add that no policy, official action, or directive from the Presidency seeks to “dismantle democracy” or “weaken opposition or create a one-party state.” Accusations of bribery, blackmail, and the weaponisation of state institutions only exist in the idle minds of politicians and their agents who have failed in their assigned role of opposition and are fishing for scapegoats.

The opposition cannot blame President Tinubu and the governing APC for their poor organisation, indiscipline, and gross incompetence in managing their affairs. It is certainly not part of President Tinubu’s job to organise or strengthen opposition parties.

We find it curious that those who celebrated the defection of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the formation of a regional grand coalition with the sole aim of defeating President Tinubu in the 2027 election are the same people shedding crocodile tears over Nigeria’s so-called drift to a one-party state and authoritarianism.

While the latter-day defenders of democracy raised no anxious voice against the disgruntled politicians cobbling an anti-Tinubu, anti-APC coalition along dangerous regional lines, even before INEC blows the whistle for party politicking, they are quick to ascribe the political shifts in some states to “bribery, blackmail, and coercion” without any shred of evidence.

Without any equivocation, freedom of association, freedom of speech and freedom of choice are part of the cherished ideals of democracy. When politicians and citizens cannot freely join any association or political party of their choice or cannot openly express their views, democracy is imperilled. Those opposed to the Tinubu administration should understand that they can issue diatribes, without fear, against the government because we practice a thriving democracy.

It is hypocrisy writ large when opposition politicians and their collaborators in the ‘human rights’ movement desire that the party of the President should implode so they can gain electoral advantage and cry wolf when their wish does not materialise.

We want to state that democracy is not threatened or undermined simply because politicians exercise their rights to freedom of association. Nigerians migrating to the APC and expressing support for Tinubu are doing so out of their free will, based on the belief that the reforms being executed are in the interest of Nigerians and the unborn generation. It is a gross disservice to democracy in itself for these emergency defenders of democracy to delegitimise the political choices of some Nigerians while upholding the choices of others to form a coalition against Tinubu and APC.

Under President Tinubu, democracy is strong, and the multiparty democratic system will continue to flourish unhindered. His administration remains resolutely committed to upholding and strengthening the democratic foundations upon which our Fourth Republic has stood since 1999.

Politicians changing party affiliation is not new or peculiar to Nigeria. In more advanced democracies, there are ready examples of notable politicians, statesmen and women who changed their parties.

President Tinubu and the National Working Committee of the APC, under the leadership of Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, deserve commendation for making the ruling party viable and attractive to all Nigerians willing to participate in the democratic process.

President Tinubu is an avowed democrat and a firm believer in multiparty democracy. His political activism and democratic credentials in galvanising and strengthening the opposition platform

President Tinubu is an avowed democrat and a firm believer in multiparty democracy. His political activism and democratic credentials in galvanising and strengthening opposition platforms as a force that defeated a sitting President and the then ruling party attest to his credibility as a tested defender of multiparty democracy.

We urge all Nigerians to join hands with the administration in protecting our democracy by respecting our people’s choices and giving alarmists, who draw their narratives from the pool of fiction, a wide berth.”