Oborevwori, Okowa, other PDP leaders in Delta defect to APC

• Delta State governor Sheriff Oborevwori and former governor Ifeanyi Okowa have officially defected from the PDP to the APC
• The defection follows a high-level stakeholder meeting at the Government House in Asaba
• Delta State Commissioner Charles Aniagwu cited development goals and the need to align with a more viable political platform as reasons for the move

In a surprising turn of events, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and other top stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This signals a major political realignment in the state as the race for the 2027 elections continues to heat up.

The announcement was made on Wednesday, April 23, following a high-powered stakeholders meeting at the Government House in Asaba.

Addressing the press after the meeting, the Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, explained that the defection was a strategic move aimed at aligning the state with a party that can better drive its development agenda and meet the aspirations of Deltans.

“For a while now, speculation has been rife about where the political winds in Delta State are blowing. 

“After months of broad consultations and deep reflection, we have unanimously decided that the time has come for a new political direction. The taste of the palm wine has changed, and so must our drinking pattern,” Aniagwu noted

He stressed that remaining in the PDP under the current realities would have stalled the progress Delta State has achieved in recent years.

Former Senator for Delta South and pioneer PDP Chairman in the state, Senator James Manager, also spoke emotionally about the decision.

“This wasn’t easy for any of us, especially for someone like me who has been with the PDP since its inception. 

“But when a ship starts to sink, you don’t remain onboard out of sheer sentiment. After thorough consultations, we’ve made a collective decision to seek a new political path,” he said

Others present at the landmark meeting included Delta State Deputy Governor Sir Monday Onyeme, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and Speaker of the State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, legislators from both the National and State Assemblies, commissioners, local government chairmen, and numerous party officials.

This mass defection is a watershed moment for Delta politics, marking the first time since 1999 that a sitting governor and a former governor have abandoned the PDP for another political party.

Omo-Agege announces mass defections from PDP to APC in Delta

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, had revealed that 10 lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Delta State House of Assembly were preparing to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Omo-Agege, who was the APC governorship candidate in the 2023 elections, made the announcement on Saturday, February 9, while welcoming Chief Itiako Ikpokpo (aka Malik), a two-term chairman of Isoko South Local Government Area, into the APC.