Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori Finally Dumps PDP For APC
LAGOS APRIL 23RD (URHOBOTODAY)-In a stunning political twist, Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement came after a high-level, closed-door meeting held at the Government House in Asaba, the state capital, on Wednesday evening.
Governor Oborevwori, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election under the PDP platform, was received by top APC chieftains in what is now being described as a strategic political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections. Call put up to Oborevwori’s Chief Press Secretary, Rt Hon Festus Ahon were not responded to neither did reply sms and WhatsApp messages sent to him to confirm his boss defection.
Before now, speculations surrounding the possible defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) have intensified.
Oborevwori reportedly attended a gathering of Delta Ijaw APC leaders in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area, where he was received by party chieftains.
In a video that has since gone viral, party members were seen chanting “On your mandate we shall stand,” a common chorus of President Bola Tinubu, the leader of the APC.
The meeting was led by High Chief Michael Johnny, a prominent figure in the Delta APC, who told attendees that the governor’s defection was only a matter of time.
“Sheriff is coming to APC. Forget what you hear on social media,” Johnny declared. “As Ijaw people, we welcome anyone who wishes to join the APC. The day you are ready, we are ready to receive you.”
Johnny also reported that several defections from the PDP’s Delta South Ijaw bloc to the APC had already taken place, describing the momentum as significant.
Among those present at the meeting were Raymos Guana, High Chief Mike Seikegba, Mr Joe Ekiyor, Sir Theodore Ezonfade, Chief Davi Omare, Ebitonmo A. Alapala, Chief Promise Lawuru, Wurus Fortune, (Engr.) Joseph Izonowei Sozaowei, and Comrade Blackman Edisemi Mule.
Addressing concerns about alleged internal divisions within the APC, Johnny dismissed such claims, stating that the party leadership in Delta remains united.
“We are not aligned with any so-called faction or clique,” he said. “We are fully loyal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Senator Joel Onowakpo-Thomas.”
The group passed a vote of confidence on Tinubu and other senior APC leaders, commending their role in promoting development across the Niger Delta, including the appointment of several Delta South indigenes to federal positions.
Johnny urged party members to remain united and supportive as the region positions itself for deeper political engagement ahead of the next election cycle
Furthermore following the emergence of a viral video showing members of his cabinet chanting the now-famous “On Your Mandate” anthem associated with President Bola Tinubu.
The footage has been widely interpreted as a subtle signal of alignment with the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
This comes amid growing pressure on Governor Oborevwori, who was elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the party grapples with waning influence in Delta State.
In the 2023 presidential election, the PDP suffered losses, losing the state by a wide margin — despite fielding former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, a native of Delta, as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate.
Oborevwori’s own electoral performance in the last election further underlines the PDP’s vulnerability in the state. The governor lost two of the state’s three senatorial districts in the gubernatorial election, including his stronghold — Delta Central — to Senator Ovie Omo-Agege of the APC. The opposition also swept all three House of Representatives seats in that zone, with both the APC and the Labour Party (LP) making inroads.
The APC’s resurgence continued in the State Assembly elections, where it clinched five seats in Delta Central, edging out the PDP’s four.
