Two years after the 2023 general election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has failed to resolve its internal crisis, leaving the opposition party on the brink of collapse ahead of the 2027 polls. The unending division has led to massive defections, with governors, senators, federal and state lawmakers, and other influential figures dumping the party.
In 2025 alone, at least six PDP governors defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), most of them declaring support for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term ambition. A seventh governor, Ademola Adeleke of Osun, left the party but joined the Accord Party to pursue his 2026 re-election bid.
Below are the governors who left the PDP to join the APC — and why:
- Sheriff Oborevwori — Delta State
Delta State shocked the nation when Governor Sheriff Oborevwori defected to the APC in April 2025. Delta had been considered one of PDP’s most stable strongholds.
Oborevwori explained that he joined the APC to align the state with the central government and secure more federal benefits. His defection carried the entire PDP structure in Delta, including former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the former PDP vice-presidential candidate.
- Umo Eno — Akwa Ibom
Two months later, Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno dumped the PDP, citing the need to fully support President Tinubu because of his “good works” and the importance of continuity in 2027. He also defected with a large portion of PDP leaders in the state, saying it was “strategic to align with the central government.”
- Peter Mbah — Enugu State
Peter Mbah’s defection stunned the southeast, a region where the PDP once dominated, especially with the rising influence of Labour Party’s Peter Obi. Mbah defected to the APC on October 14, granting the ruling party the highest number of governors in the southeast, leaving the PDP with zero control in the region.
- Douye Diri — Bayelsa State
Bayelsa, home to former President Goodluck Jonathan, was one of PDP’s strongest bases. However, Governor Douye Diri defected to the APC, saying the state must align with the federal government. His move allowed the APC to control five of the six oil–rich states in the South–South.
- Agbu Kefas — Taraba State
Taraba Governor Agbu Kefas became the first northern PDP governor to defect to the APC in 2025. Kefas said his choice was in the “best interest of Taraba people” and highlighted key federal benefits under alignment. His defection ceremony was delayed due to nationwide security issues but was eventually finalized with the entire PDP structure moving to APC.
- Siminalayi Fubara — Rivers State
The most recent defection came from Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara. He said he joined the APC to openly support Tinubu’s second-term bid, declaring that without the president’s intervention, he would have been impeached. Fubara accused the PDP of betraying him during his political crisis with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. Tinubu’s intervention reportedly saved his administration.
Summary
The PDP’s unresolved leadership conflicts have triggered a political exodus that has shifted Nigeria’s power dynamics. With six governors now in the APC and more likely to follow, analysts warn that the opposition may face total collapse ahead of the 2027 general election.
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