“Your palm wine has lost it’s taste,” Delta Gov tells PDP; APC fixes Monday for reception

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta state, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The state’s commissioner for information, Charles Aniagwu, confirmed the development in an announcement on Wednesday.

Aniagwu said the decision received unanimous backing from PDP leaders in Delta, and driven by the shared goal of promoting unity, enhancing security, and advancing development in the state.

He said the leadership of the PDP in the state came to an “inevitable conclusion” that leaving the party was the only way to ensure political stability.

“The decision was taken to build the bond of love that have existed in our state, to further advance the cause of security and welfare of our people, and to a very large extent, ensure that development in Delta; because every politics is local,” Aniagwu said.

“And in taking that decision we came to the inevitable conclusion that moving out of the PDP is very very necessary for us to be able to collaborate with our kith and kin and build that state that every Deltan will be proud of.”

The commissioner claimed PDP in Delta has lost its flavour and can no longer serve the aspirations of its people.

“We believe that what is happening and the state of the PDP is akin to that palm wine whose taste has changed and there was a need for us to change the drinking pattern,” he said.

“And that is why this decision has been taken unanimously by leaders and stakeholders of the party.

“By the grace of God, Monday next week, we will be able to make a very big statement after the fact that we are moving into the APC.”

Meanwhile, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Festus Ahon, also confirmed the development.

“It is true,” Ahon said.

According to reports, Oborevwori’s predecessor and vice presidential candidate of the PDP in 2023 general elections, Ifeanyi Okowa and other big shots in the state defected with the governor.

The major opposition party that ruled Nigeria from 1999 to 2015 has been facing internal crisis that has remained unsolved and has factionalised the party. With Delta state gone and unverified reports of a couple other states joining the ruling APC in no distant future, the PDP’s gradual depletion may reach its crescendo and irredeemable end earlier than expected.

NewsClick Nigeria reports that as of today, Wednesday, April 23, the PDP is in control of Osun, Oyo, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Rivers (on emergency rule), Adamawa, Plateau, Taraba, Bauchi and Zamfara states.