Report Shares Actual Reasons Delta Governor Oborevwori Dumped PDP for APC
- The Delta state governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, his deputy Monday Onyeme, and commissioners have defected from the PDP to the ruling APC
- Legit.ng reports that their defection was announced at a press briefing in Asaba on Wednesday, April 23, 2025
- Oborevwori’s defection to the APC is seen as a significant blow to the PDP because no other political party has governed the state since 1999
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering elections, politics, and governance in Nigeria.
Asaba, Delta state - A report has shared some reasons why Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta state dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Legit.ng had reported how Oborevwori made the switch alongside several serving public officials in the prominent south-south state.
Source: Facebook
In the same vein, the immediate past governor of Delta state, Ifeanyi Okowa, also officially defected from the PDP to the APC.
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The announcement came two years after Okowa stood as the running mate of Atiku Abubakar of the PDP in the Nigerian presidential election.
Okowa was received by top APC chieftains, as many described the move as a strategic political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a report on Thursday, April 24, Premium Times noted that one of the reasons for Oborevwori's move was the continued disaffection of the first Fourth Republic governor of the state, James Ibori, with the incumbent governor.
Ibori has kept a distance from Obovrevwori since the then-speaker of the state legislature defeated his candidate (David Edevbie) in the bitterly fought 2022 PDP governorship primary election.
Obovrevwori proceeded to win the general election without the backing of arguably the biggest name in Delta PDP, Ibori. However, the former governor’s closeness to President Bola Tinubu makes him a more dangerous adversary.
Senator Ned Nwoko and militant leader Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo, are also noted as adversaries, thus, Obovrevwori decided that being on President Tinubu’s side was crucial for his political survival.
Source: Twitter
Okowa’s ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been mentioned as another factor that predisposed Delta PDP leaders to a deal with the governing party.
It is not clear if the anti-graft agency would close its file of the former governor’s alleged sleaze, even though a former national chairman of the party once said all sins are forgiven with as an APC chieftain.
Be that as it may, the most important factor behind Obovrevwori’s movement was the realisation that the PDP had become jaded in Delta state after a lengthy rule. The party was reportedly losing grassroots support.
Reasons Delta Governor Obovrevwori joined APC:
- Hostility between James Ibori and Governor Obovrevwori.
- Senator Ned Nwoko and Tompolo's fraternisation with President Tinubu.
- Governor Obovrevwori's quest for political survival.
- PDP reportedly losing grassroots support in Delta state.
Delta: 'Nigeria now one-party state' - Akinnola
Meanwhile, Richard Akinnola, the executive director of the Centre for Free Speech, posited that the APC is turning Nigeria into a one-party state.
In a post on his known Facebook page, Akinnola said that shortly, Nigerians 'shall chronicle the current political charlatanism'.
He wrote:
"Many supposed political heavyweights defect to ruling parties for personal, opportunistic reasons, particularly in our clime. Adams Oshiomhole, then as APC chairman once said that once you join the APC, your sins are forgiven. In effect, some join in order to have a soft landing with the EFCC because their sins would be forgiven.
"As Gani Fawehinmi said in his open letter to President Olusegun Obasanjo on November 21, 2005, following the death of his wife, Stella, many people who came to shed crocodile tears at the funeral of Stella Obasanjo, did it for different, opportunistic reasons.
"In the same token, political defectors to the ruling party (irrespective of the ruling party in power), mostly do so to evade prosecution and if already being prosecuted, to get a soft landing (we know how it's being done in our clime). Members of the ruling party are in a dancing mood over the emerging one-party state because they believe APC is the best thing to happen to Nigeria after the 1914 amalgamation.
"The good thing is that at the appropriate time in the near future, there are people who would chronicle their deeds. Na here we dey. No leave, no transfer. Welcome, one-party state."
APC defends Delta politicians' exit from PDP
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Felix Morka, the national spokesperson of the APC, said the ruling party is not coercing anyone to defect.
Morka said Delta politicians joining the APC do so purely on "voluntary" bases, adding that the PDP “is in a hot mess”.
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Source: Legit.ng
