How PDP Governors’ Defections Signal South-South’s ‘Surrender’ to Tinubu

A dramatic political realignment is sweeping through Nigeria’s South-South geopolitical zone, historically a staunch stronghold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as prominent PDP governors are increasingly aligning with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and pledging allegiance to President Bola Tinubu. This shift, driven by a cocktail of internal PDP crises, strategic political survival, and President Tinubu’s perceived growing influence, is widely seen as a significant ‘surrender’ of the region to the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The most striking instances of this political migration include the recent defection of Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, both elected on the PDP platform in 2023, to the APC.

Governor Oborevwori, who officially joined the APC in April 2025, cited his state’s exhaustion with being in opposition and the prevailing internal turbulence within the national PDP as key reasons for his move. His defection has reportedly left the PDP in Delta State “rudderless,” with a surge of former PDP members now registering with the APC.

Similarly, Akwa Ibom’s Governor Umo Eno formally crossed over to the APC in June 2025, having earlier expressed open support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid. He controversially likened the PDP to a “faulty aircraft,” implying a pragmatic need to align with a more stable and powerful platform to ensure his state’s development and his own political future, with tacit support from Senate President Godswill Akpabio, a former Akwa Ibom Governor and APC heavyweight.

Even in Rivers State, traditionally a hotbed of PDP influence, the political landscape has significantly tilted. While Governor Siminalayi Fubara officially remains with the PDP, the prolonged political crisis involving his estranged benefactor, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike (a former PDP governor who has since aligned with Tinubu’s government), and direct interventions from President Tinubu have effectively fractured the PDP’s control. The earlier defection of 27 PDP lawmakers to the APC in December 2023 further solidified the ruling party’s foothold in the state.

Beyond outright defections, the APC has also capitalized on its recent gubernatorial victory in Edo State, where Governor Monday Okpebholo, an APC stalwart, has already pledged to deliver 2.5 million votes for President Tinubu in 2027. This victory, coupled with subsequent defections of PDP lawmakers and local government chairmen in Edo, reinforces the APC’s growing dominance in a region once considered impenetrable by the opposition.

Political analysts attribute this widespread shift to several factors: the ongoing leadership tussle and disarray within the national PDP, which has left many of its state chapters vulnerable; President Tinubu’s “inclusive style of leadership” and strategic political appointments; and the perceived pragmatic need for governors to align with the central government to secure crucial federal support and funding for their states.

The mass defections and overt endorsements are seen as a severe blow to the PDP’s ambition of staging a strong comeback in the 2027 general elections, effectively ceding significant political ground in a region that has historically been its most reliable support base.