PDP Not Ready For 2027, We Joined APC to Align with Abuja – Okowa

By Emmanuel Kwada

Former Delta State Governor Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is ill-prepared for the 2027 general elections, prompting his defection—alongside Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and the state’s entire PDP structure—to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The announcement, made during a grand rally in Asaba on Monday, underscores a strategic move to “connect Delta to Abuja” and secure the state’s future under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Okowa, who served as the PDP’s vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, minced no words in his assessment of the opposition party’s readiness. “The PDP is not a viable vehicle for our political aspirations heading into 2027,” he stated, addressing a mammoth crowd of supporters at the Cenotaph in Asaba.

The PDP is not a viable vehicle for our political aspirations heading into 2027

“It seems that the PDP is not prepared to be competitive in the upcoming elections. We joined the APC to align with Abuja, where the goodwill and resources are, and Delta, as a large contributor, must connect to it.”

The defection marks the end of the PDP’s 26-year dominance in Delta State, a traditional stronghold, and comes after weeks of speculation and a marathon stakeholder meeting on April 23. Okowa, flanked by Governor Oborevwori and key political figures, emphasized that the move was not driven by personal ambition but by the collective interest of Deltans.

We cannot face President Tinubu in 2027 to work against him

“I was governor for eight years under the PDP. I did my best, but we lost a lot being in opposition,” he admitted. “Governor Sheriff is working hard for our people, and he shouldn’t suffer the same fate. This is a bold, patriotic, and well-intentioned decision.”

Governor Oborevwori echoed Okowa’s sentiments, describing the shift as a “movement” rather than a mere defection. “We cannot face President Tinubu in 2027 to work against him,” he said. “Delta cannot carry last.

This is about unity and tapping into the organic love Mr. President has shown us.” The governor confirmed that the state’s entire PDP apparatus—including National Assembly members, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, local government chairmen, and over 500 councillors—would transition to the APC in the coming days.

The rally, attended by APC heavyweights such as Vice President Kashim Shettima and National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, was a spectacle of political triumph. Shettima hailed the defection as a “tsunami” and a testament to Oborevwori’s progressive ideals, while Ganduje assured the new entrants of cooperation within the APC fold. The move is seen as a major boost to Tinubu’s re-election bid, potentially adding Delta’s 1.4 million votes to the APC’s tally.

Sen. Bukola Saraki has, in the past, defected from the PDP to the APC and back to the PDP

However, the defection has not been without controversy. Okowa took a swipe at critics, notably Senator Bukola Saraki, who has questioned the exodus from the PDP. “Sen. Bukola Saraki has, in the past, defected from the PDP to the APC and back to the PDP,” Okowa remarked. “Therefore, he has no moral right to speak against my defection to the APC. We are a political family in Delta State, and this decision was made after wide consultations with our stakeholders.”

The PDP’s national leadership, reeling from the loss, expressed dismay but remained defiant. Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, speaking in Abuja, called the defection a “betrayal” but insisted that the party’s fate rested in divine hands.

We gave them everything—support for the governor and even Okowa as our VP candidate in 2023

“If there’s any state that should not have taken this path, it’s Delta,” he said. “We gave them everything—support for the governor and even Okowa as our VP candidate in 2023. But the 2027 election will be APC versus Nigerians, not about how many governors a party has.”

Analysts suggest the defection may be linked to Okowa’s ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged financial mismanagement during his tenure, though APC leaders have dismissed such claims.

Regardless, the political landscape in Delta—and indeed Nigeria—has shifted dramatically, with the APC tightening its grip ahead of 2027.

Read Also: Delta PDP National Assembly members, LG chairmen, 500 councillors’ll defect to APC – Oborevwori