Shettima welcomes Oborevwori, Okowa to APC, says PDP bigwigs’ defection in Delta a tsunami
….‘it’s a movement, not a defection,’ Oborevwori, Okowa
…We moved to APC to connect Delta with Abuja — Okowa
In a major twist to political permutations ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has officially joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
At a ceremony attended by a mammoth crowd at the Cenotaph in Asaba on Monday, the Delta capital, Oborevwori, Okowa, and others in the oil-rich state were received into the APC, days after they announced their decision to leave the PDP.
The defectors were officially received into the party by chieftains of the ruling APC, including Vice President Kashim Shettima; the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje; Senator Adams Oshiomhole; Governor Hope Uzodimma, who is the chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, among other political bigwigs.
At the event, the Delta governor described the decision as historic. Oborevwori said the move to the APC was borne out of the desire to get the best for the South-South state.
“What you have seen here today is a movement, not a defection. We have consulted stakeholders at all levels. Mr President has shown us love, “Oborevwori, who was a former speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, said during the ceremony on Monday.
The governor said the decision to join the APC was made after consultations with stakeholders in the oil-rich state and based on President Bola Tinubu’s love for Delta.
“We cannot face him in 2027 to work against him. When you consult widely, you can see that the love is organic,” the governor argued.
“All our members in the Delta State House of Assembly have agreed to defect. The state exco, council chairmen, councillors, LG chairmen, and others are all moving to the APC,” Oborevwori noted.
‘Bold, Patriotic, Well-Intentioned Move’
The collapse of the PDP structure in Delta came as a rude shock to millions of Nigerians. That move ended the main opposition party’s 26-year hold on the state, adding a fresh layer of intrigue ahead of the next election. Okowa was the PDP vice presidential candidate in the 2023 general election.
That defection from one of the traditional strongholds of the PDP has continued to stir debates among Nigerians and analysts alike.
The PDP said it was shocked by the defection but was not worried about the impact of the political move.
During the official reception of the defectors, Okowa re-echoed Oborevwori’s reason for the collapse of the PDP structure. The former lawmaker said the “bold” decision was in the “best interest of our people”.
“Today is a great day for us in Delta State. We defected in the best interest of our people,” Okowa, who is also a former commissioner, told the crowd of supporters and other political topshots.
“It was not about me or the governor, but the fact that there is a need for us to connect to Abuja. This is a bold, patriotic, and well-intentioned move.”
Shettima, who was leading the APC delegation at the ceremony, welcomed the new members into the party.
He said the defection is a testament to the progressive ideals of the Governor Oberevwori and his team in Delta State.
Vice President Shettima described the decamping as a tsunami and an unimaginable feat.
“This is a political tsunami of unimaginable proportions that has never happened in the history of the South-South sub-region and the history of Nigeria,” he said.
Meanwhile, former Governor of Delta State Ifeanyi Okowa has explained that his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was motivated by the desire to connect the state to the seat of power in Abuja.
Explaining why they dumped the PDP, Okowa while speaking at the APC welcome ceremony for the defectors on Monday, said the defection was in the best interest of Delta State.
Okowa, who was the PDP Vice Presidential candidate in the 2023 election, said the defection was necessary to connect the state to the goodwill and resources in the Federal Capital Territory.
He said, “When the news broke on Wednesday that we had decided to change our path, people wondered why, but one thing is very important in a people’s history: there is always a time to change their path for the common good of the people.
“As I did tell people that day, it was not about me, it was not about the governor, but the fact that there is a need for us to connect to Abuja, that goodwill that is in Abuja, that resource that’s in Abuja of which Delta State is a large contributor, there was a need to connect to it.”
Okowa described the defection of Delta political leaders to the APC as patriotic and strategic, saying Delta lost a lot during his tenure because the state was in opposition.
“I was governor for eight years. I was in opposition. I did my best but we lost a lot. And I did not believe that the governor needed to stay working very hard, and we know that we are very supportive of Governor Sheriff because he’s doing a lot. But as the governor is doing a lot for us, he also needs to connect to the greater source of power and resource and goodwill in Abuja,” the ex-governor said.
Therefore, he called on Deltans who are already in the APC to embrace and work with them to make the ruling party dominant in the state.
While calling for support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Okowa said it’s time for the people of Delta State to stand strong in support of President Tinubu and Governor Oborevwori
