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The political landscape of Delta State was shaken to its core on Wednesday as Governor Sheriff Oborevwori led a historic mass defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), marking the collapse of the PDP’s longstanding grip on the oil-rich South-South state.
The announcement came after an extraordinary meeting at the Government House in Asaba, where Governor Oborevwori, alongside his deputy Sir Monday Onyeme, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and virtually all PDP stakeholders in the state, publicly declared their resignation from the party and intention to align with the APC.
In attendance were National Assembly members, the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, state lawmakers, commissioners, local government chairmen, and key party executives—signaling a complete transfer of the PDP’s political machinery into APC hands.
Pioneer PDP State Chairman and former Senator, James Manager, confirmed the decision was made following wide-ranging consultations. “You cannot remain in a boat that is already capsizing. As a riverine man, I know when to leave. This was not a rash move—it was a unanimous decision shaped by the realities of the time,” Manager declared.
He pointed to a recent resolution of the PDP Governors’ Forum in Ibadan—which rejected any coalition with other parties—as a fatal misstep that further demoralized party members. “The PDP, with only 11 governors, thinks it can face an incumbent president in 2027 without allies? That resolution broke the spirit of many,” he added.
Echoing the sentiment, State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Charles Aniagwu, said the change was necessary to align Delta’s political direction with current national dynamics. “When the taste of palm wine changes, the drinking pattern must follow. Delta cannot afford to be left behind,” Aniagwu stated.
According to insiders, the defection was months in the making, following internal divisions within the PDP and frustrations over leadership instability at the national level. Many party leaders reportedly lost faith in the party’s ability to position itself as a viable opposition or reclaim power in 2027.
The exodus will be formalized in a grand rally on Monday at the Cenotaph in Asaba, where Vice President Kashim Shettima is expected to officially welcome the defectors into the APC fold.
Political observers say the development could tilt the South-South balance of power and give the APC a stronger footing in the region ahead of the next general elections. With an estimated 1.4 million votes in play, Delta State’s shift is being hailed by APC strategists as a major boost to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election prospects.
As the APC celebrates a strategic win, the PDP is left to pick up the pieces in a state it once considered unshakable. For Delta politics, it is the end of an era—and the beginning of a new political order.
