Finally, Delta Gov Oborevwori Dumps PDP, Joins APC

By Ayodele Oni  & Suleiman Anyalewechi

After months of speculation about his next political move, Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The defection has hit the PDP, which was still trying to get over its dumping by its 2023 Vice Presidential Candidate and a two-term Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, like a thunder bolt.

The announcement was made on Wednesday evening after a closed door meeting held at the Government House in Asaba, the State capital.

The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Festus Ahon, confirmed the development in a statement to the press.

According to Ahon, the decision followed “wide consultations with political stakeholders and in the interest of Delta’s long term development.”

He emphasized that the move was motivated by the Governor’s desire to align the state with the centre for what he described as “sustainable growth and access to federal opportunities.”

Governor Oborevwori, who assumed office after a hard fought victory in the 2023 gubernatorial election on the PDP platform, was received into the APC by top ranking party officials.

This is the first time, since Nigeria’s democracy started in 1999, that Delta State would abandon it for another Party. This defection is a huge loss to the PDP as well as the  the Atiku Abubakar and Nasir El-Rufai-driven Coalition which mission is to snatch power from President Bola Tinubu. With Delta State now in the bag, Tinubu’s chances in 2027 brighten more than ever.

The reception was described as “a high level political convergence,” signalling what many observers see as a realignment that could reshape the political dynamics of the South-South region.

With Oborevwori’s switch, the APC is expected to gain firmer ground in Delta State, a stronghold previously dominated by the PDP.

The Governor is expected to address the media formally later this week, shedding more light on his reasons and the path forward for his administration under the APC.

Oborevwori is the first Governor since Tinubu’s Government to dump the Political Party under which he was elected for another.