Governor Oborevwori and Top Delta PDP Figures Joins APC

Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has formally defected from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The announcement was made on Wednesday following a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Asaba. The governor, elected on the PDP platform in 2023, was received into the APC by senior party officials.

His Chief Press Secretary, Festus Ahon, said the move followed “wide consultations with political stakeholders and in the interest of Delta’s long-term development.”

The defection is seen as part of a broader political shift in the oil-rich state, as several top PDP leaders also announced plans to join the APC.

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Speaking at a press briefing in Asaba, former commissioner Charles Aniagwu, alongside Senator James Manager, a five-term senator and founding member of the PDP in Delta confirmed that the group would formally defect next Monday.

“The political temperature has changed, and we must realign to reflect that reality,” Aniagwu said. “When the taste of palm wine changes, the drinking pattern also changes.”

He added that continued membership in the PDP would, in their view, hamper development efforts in the state.

Senator Manager said the decision had not been taken lightly but was necessary due to growing internal issues within the party. “You cannot be in a boat that is already capsizing,” he said.

The move is set to have a major impact on Delta State politics in the lead-up to the 2027 general elections.

Governor Oborevwori, in his first public statement following news of his defection, said he had just briefed the 25 local government chairmen ahead of his official statement on Monday. Further details on the decision are expected in the coming days.