By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
For the first time in 26 years, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost its status as the ruling party in Delta State as Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Wednes-day, formally announced his resignation from the party, to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Similarly, the senator representing Kano South, Sumaila Kawu elected on the ticket of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) defected to the APC, while there are indications that Senator Nelda Imasuen of the Labour Party from Edo State is also set to join the APC.
The defection of the Delta PDP family to the APC coincided with the announcement by a sixth term member of the House of Representatives from Osun State, Hon-ourable Oluwole Oke of his resignation from the PDP.
In Asaba, Governor Oborevwori led critical stakeholders, including commissioners and other members of the state cabinet, as well as PDP caucus in the National Assembly to dump the party that has consistently formed government in Delta since Nigeria returned to civil rule on May 29, 1999.
The joint defection of Delta State PDP leaders was announced during a meeting with leaders and stakeholders of the party in the state, held at Government House, Asaba.
The development elicited a spontaneous reaction from the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development,
Chief Festus Keyamo, who praised the governor for his foresight and courage in taking the bold decision.
In a post on his X handle, Festus Keyamo stated: “Today is the day the Lord has made in Delta State. Finally, finally Delta is APC! Thank you, Mr. President for your leadership that has attracted the best to our Party. Thank you, my leader and Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori for your foresight and courage in taking this bold decision.”
At the Wednesday meeting held in the state capital, Governor Oborevwori directed all PDP stakeholders in the state to join the APC as the PDP family in the state will be received by Vice President Kashim Shettima, at rally at the Cenotaph, in Asaba next Monday.
At the meeting were the state deputy governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, immediate past governor of the state and former vice-presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2023 election, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, members of the National Assembly from the state, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Honourable Emomotimi Guwor, other members of the Assembly, commissioners, local government chairmen, top government functionaries and party officials.
Briefing journalists on the outcome of the meeting, the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information in the state, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, said that the decision by the governor and other Delta stakeholders to defect became necessary following the unfortunate happenings at the national level of the PDP.
He said the decision was the result of intense and wide consultations carried out by the governor and other PDP leaders and the stakeholders.
“For some time now, the media, particularly the social media have been awash as to what political decisions that we are going to be taking in Delta.
“While that was on, the governor and the leaders of the party have been very busy carrying out some necessary consultations and it is also part of that consultation that has resulted in this meeting today for the leaders of the PDP to be able to advise as to what necessary steps that needed to be taken.
“It is said that when the taste of the palm wine changes, the drinking pattern also changes and the leaders of the party were unanimous in their view that the political temperature has changed.
“And there was a need for change that will help cement the development in our state; to build the bond of love that has existed in our state and to further advance the security and welfare of our people.
“Like you know, every politics is local. So in taking this decision, we came to the inevitable conclusion that moving out of the PDP is very necessary for us to collaborate with our kits and kin and build that bond that we have been enjoying.
“We believe that what is happening in the PDP at the national level can be likened to that palm wine whose taste has changed and that is why this decision has been taken.
“By the grace of God, on Monday next week, we would be able to make a bold statement that we are moving to the APC.”
Also speaking, the pioneer chairman of the PDP in the state, Senator James Man-ager, said that the decision was taken in consultation with various stakeholders across the state.
“You have just been told about some of the things that have been happening in the PDP Delta State. Some consultations have been going on and the climax of these consultations is what you are seeing today.
“We have discussed and have disagreed to agree and it is a unanimous agreement.
I am the pioneer state chairman of the PDP. But you cannot be in a boat that is already capsising because I am a riverine man.
“Looking at issues the way they are, we have come to the inevitable conclusion to do something else. It is a collective decision for so many reasons.
“Few days ago, there was a resolution taken by the PDP Governors Forum at Ibadan.
Almost all the governors were there and they resolved that they are not going into a coalition with any other party.
“But as disadvantaged as the PDP is now with about 11 governors, how do you go into a contest with an incumbent president? You think you can win? That particular resolution killed the spirit of so many PDP members.
“We lost election in 2015 as a result of a merger which even included splinter groups from the PDP. There are also other reasons.
“Today Senator Anyanwu is the National Secretary of the party; tomorrow it is another person. The party must be positioned to go into an election to win. So, it is becoming very funny. The PDP is truly in trouble.
“If you look well, the current PDP state chairman was in the meeting. The governor was there. The deputy governor, the immediate past governor, the speaker, all of these persons were in the meeting. The National Assembly members and even the House of Assembly mem-bers, who-is-who in Delta State were in the meeting to make this decision,” he said.
In its reaction, APC in the state said the defection of Oborewvori and the PDP family is a welcome development as every leader of the party is ready to work them.
The publicity secretary of the party Mr Valentine On-ojeghuo, said the defection has changed the political landscape of the state add-ing: “Our priority is to ensure that Mr. president wins Delta State in 2027.
“It is a welcome development because the entire state is now one; we are supporting the governor in delivering the dividends of democracy in the state.” The member representing Ughelli North/Ughelli South/ Udu Federal Constituency of Delta State in the National As-sembly, Rev. Francis Ejirogh-ene Waive, has welcomed the defection of Governor Oborevwori to the APC.
In a Facebook post, Waive called on APC leaders at the units, wards and local government executives and members to welcome the PDP delegation and facilitate easy registration.
He added: “I urge all our party men to trust the process and work for total victory come 2027. Your Excel-lency, you are welcome Sir.” Similarly, the member representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun State under the banner of the PDP, Honourable Busayo Oluwole Oke, has dumped the party.
Though the ranking law-maker, who confirmed the development while speaking with the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, did not immediately announce his new party, he stated that he has decided to leave the PDP after consulting with his political as-sociates, friends, and family members.
According to him: “Yes, I have resigned from the PDP along with my supporters at all levels after wide consulta-tions.”
He said he had informed the appropriate quarters through a resignation letter dated April 16, 2025 and addressed to the PDP chairman in Ward 7, Obokun Local Government Area of the state.
Oke is the immediate past chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts
(PAC) and the current chairman of House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
While he is silent on his next political destination, he urged his supporters to remain calm and to await further directive after what he called the ongoing wide and deep consultations.
In another development, the Senator representing Kano South, Sumaila Kawu, announced his defection from the New Nigerian Peoples Party, (NNPP) to the APC. The Senator, who is the Chairman Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), confirmed his defection to the APC in a telephone interview with Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday.
Last week, Senator Kawu, along with two members of the House of Representatives from Kano on the platform of the NNPP met with national chairman of the APC, Abdul-lahi Umar Ganduje to perfect their formal defection.
The other NNPP federal lawmakers who met with Ganduje were Honourables Aliyu Sani Madaki and Kabiru Usman Rurum.
Senator Kawu told Nigerian Tribune that the interest of his constituent in Kano South would be better served in the APC.
Kawu in his Facebook page confirmed his movement to the APC. “Yes, it is true — the rumours regarding my defection are accurate. All politics is local, and my primary concern has always been, and remains, the welfare of my immediate constituency. I am resolutely determined to advance the lives of my people, ensuring their needs are met and their future is secured.”
Meanwhile, the Senator representing Edo South senatorial district, Nelda Imasuen, is set to defect from the La-bour Party to the ruling APC.
A source close to the senator, who heads the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, said that there had been intense pressure on Imasuen from APC leaders in Edo in recent times.
The source, who craved anonymity, added that Ima-suen’s resistance of the pressure was becoming weaker by the day, and that he might cave in to the pressure.
The source added that the intractable crisis within the LP at the federal and state levels was not helping matters as that could serve as a natural alibi for Imasuen to jump the LP ship and anchor with the APC.
“All I can say is that it is a matter of time, Senator Nelda Imasuen will dump the Labour Party for the All Progressives Congress (APC). The pressure on him to join the APC is becoming too much and the senator’s resolve when the idea was first brought up is becoming weaker by the day,” the source disclosed.
According to the LP chieftain, who is also one of the confidants of the senator, “The fact that LP has crises in the state and at the centre is also a factor the APC is using to woo Senator Imasuen. If he decamps today, he can easily hide under that to say that LP has leadership crises and that is valid and obvious.”
The rumour gained traction a few weeks ago, when a group threatened to recall the senator for his alleged role in the suspension of the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, for six months over her disagreement with the Senate Presi-dent, Godswill Akpabio.
Imasuen’s Committee on Ethics and Privileges, it would be recalled, recommended the suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan, an action that drew the ire of the public against the Senate.
Another source within Edo APC told the Nigerian Tribune that Senator Imasuen enjoyed cordial relationships with many members of the ruling party in the state, and that he is at home with Governor Monday Okpebholo, who was his colleague in the senate before the latter was elected governor.
“You cannot discountenance the relationship between Senator Imasuen and Governor Monday Okpebholo, who himself was a senator before he was elected governor. It is natural that the governor would want his friend to be in the same party with him,” the APC chieftain stated.
Nigerian Tribune also gathered that the Special Adviser to Governor Monday Okpeb-holo on Political Mobilisation and Engagement, Mr. Eugene Utubor, on Tuesday night visited Imasuen in a bid to convince him to join the APC.
The source, who was privy to the clandestine visit, which lasted for several hours, disclosed that discussions at the meeting centered on having the LP senator in the APC to support the developmental strides of Governor Okpebholo.
Nigerian Tribune