••Six Federal Lawmakers Follow Suit; Two LP Reps Join Beleaguered PDP
By OBSERVERS TIMES.
A seismic shift is underway in the South-South political landscape as a wave of defections rocks the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerging as the primary beneficiary. In a dramatic turn of events, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Mr. Blessing Agbebaku, spearheaded the move of himself and two other state lawmakers, alongside local government councilors, to the APC on Tuesday.
Agbebaku cited alignment with Governor Monday Okpebholo’s developmental agenda as the driving force behind their decision, praising the governor’s commitment to infrastructure projects and inclusive governance. “We are here to support the governor and the president to move Edo forward,” he declared at the reception organized by the APC.
The defectors were warmly received by the APC’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, who assured them of equal standing within the party and hailed their move as crucial for the APC’s strengthening grip on Edo State. Former Edo Governor and current Senator Adams Oshiomhole celebrated the Speaker’s return to the APC fold, emphasizing the party now commands a significant majority of 18 out of 24 seats in the state assembly. Governor Okpebholo expressed confidence that these defections signal a new era of accelerated growth for Edo, backed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
The tremor extended beyond Edo, with a staggering 21 members of the Delta State House of Assembly, including Speaker Emomotimi Guwor, formally announcing their defection from the PDP to the APC on Monday. Guwor attributed the mass exodus to unresolved internal crises plaguing the PDP at both the zonal and national levels, declaring that the Delta Assembly is now “fully an APC House.” This monumental shift follows the recent defections of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to the APC, further eroding the PDP’s long-held dominance in the state.
Adding to the PDP’s woes at the federal level, six members of the House of Representatives from Delta State also announced their departure to the APC. The defecting federal lawmakers include Hon. Victor Nwokolo, Hon. Julius Pondi, Hon. Thomas Ereyitomi, Hon. Nicholas Mutu, Hon. Okodiko Jonathan, and Hon. Nnamdi Ezechi. Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, stated that the representatives cited irreconcilable internal conflicts within the PDP as their reason for switching allegiance.
In a minor counter-current, the PDP managed to gain two members in the House of Representatives from Enugu State, as Hon. Mark Obetta and Hon. Dennis Nnamdi of the Labour Party (LP) crossed over. However, this gain appears dwarfed by the significant losses suffered by the PDP in the South-South.
These mass defections signal a dramatic realignment of political forces in the South-South, significantly weakening the PDP’s influence and bolstering the APC’s presence in the region. Observers believe this shift could have profound implications for future elections, particularly the upcoming 2027 presidential race, with Edo Governor Okpebholo already vowing the state will play a leading role in President Tinubu’s re-election bid. The PDP now faces a critical juncture as it grapples with internal divisions and the exodus of key figures, raising questions about its future strength in the once-solid South-South stronghold.
