Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta state has defended his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), pledging his loyalty to President Bola Tinubu.
Recall that Oborevwori and other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) bigwigs in Delta state had on April 23, defected to the APC.
Today is a great day for us in Delta State. We defected in the best interest of our people. 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.
– Ifeanyi Okowa, Former Gov of… pic.twitter.com/6JwPaw1k02
— NewsClick Nigeria Media (@NewsClickng) April 28, 2025
Speaking in Asaba, the state capital on Monday at a rally organised to officially welcome him to the party, Oborevwori announced a mass defection of political figures in the state from the PDP to the APC.
He described the defection as a “movement” rather than a mere defection, emphasising unity and collective action.
“Delta cannot carry last. We have been in opposition for almost ten years. Mr President has supported us, he has shown us love. We cannot face him in 2027 to work against him. That love that he has shown us in Delta state, we need to reciprocate it,” he said.
“We cannot do it in our old party, you have to be inside to do it and to do it well.”
He said all members of the national assembly from Delta have agreed to defect on the floor of the house at their next resumption.
The governor said all structures of the PDP in Delta will transition en masse to the APC in the coming days, adding that state executives, advisers, council chairmen, 500 councillors, ward chairmen, and local government party chairmen are all part of this movement.
“All of our members in the national assembly, at the next resumption, they have agreed to defect on the floor of the house. Mr Speaker is here, heaven will not fall,” he said.
“There is nothing wrong, it is normal. I was a lawmaker, a presiding officer, we have a lot of problems, we have reasoned and have justification to move.
“The state excos, the advisers, the council chairmen, they are all moving. We have 500 councillors, they are all moving. All the ward chairmen are all moving. The local government party chairmen are all moving.”
Defection in the interest of Delta, not me – Okowa
Also speaking at the rally, immediate past governor of the state and vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Ifeanyi Okowa said defection is not for personal gains.
“Today, obviously, is a great day for us in Delta state,” he said.
“When the news broke out on Wednesday, the 23rd of April, 2025, that we have decided to change our path, people wondered why.
“But one thing is very important. In the history of a people, there is always a time to change their path for the common good of the people.”
He said the decision to join the APC was driven by the need to “connect with Abuja”, where Delta state is a “large contributor”.
“And whatever decision that we took was based on that common good, and the need to change our path in the best interest of our state,” he said.
“As I did tell people that day, it was not about me. It was not about the governor, but the fact that there is the need for us to connect to Abuja.
“That goodwill that is in Abuja, that resource that is in Abuja, of which Delta state is a large contributor, there was a need to connect to it.”
Okowa said although he served as governor for eight years under the PDP, there was a need for a stronger connection with the centre.
“I was governor for eight years. I was in opposition. I did my best, but we lost a lot,” Okowa stated.
“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.
“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.”
Okowa said the decision was made after consultation with PDP leaders and stakeholders at various levels.
“And when we sat down after a stakeholders meeting, we thought that it was necessary to make this move,” he said.
“This move is bold. It is strategic. It is patriotic and it is well-intentioned. That decision that our governor took, that we needed to move after consultation with the leaders of the party, which was cascaded down to the local governments and the world, is the best interest for our state.”
Okowa also called for support for President Bola Tinubu and Oborevwori, saying that the party’s move will help dominate politics in the state.
“It is time for us to stand together in great support for Mr President and Mr Governor. Because together, we can truly dominate the politics in Delta state,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the decision would lead to positive results for the state.
“I believe there will be no other party with this move that we have made and we are going to stretch out our hands across to our brothers, across all other states, that we can reach. And I believe that a great result will come from it,” Okowa said.
He thanked Oborevwori for his leadership and expressed confidence in the decision they had made.
“Thank you, Mr Governor, for blazing the trail. You have put us forth, and I believe that it’s going to yield a lot of results,” he said.
“We trust you. We believe in you. We believe in the decision that we have collectively taken. May God lead you and keep you very close to Mr President. We will support you. We will support Mr President. And God will truly bless us in Delta state because it is well with us.
“We are a great state and a great people and now we have made the right decisions, a bold one, in the best interest of us all. Let us go back home and let the people know that we have taken this decision in their best interest.”