Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori stunned the political landscape on Wednesday, April 23, by formally announcing his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
His move marks a dramatic political realignment in Delta, a state that has served as a PDP stronghold since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.
Oborevwori’s defection adds his name to a growing list of state governors who have switched party allegiance while still in office, often citing strategic realignments or dissatisfaction with the PDP’s leadership.
Below is a look at the governors who joined the APC from PDP in recent years:
Sheriff Oborevwori – Delta State
In a decision that sent shockwaves through the political establishment, Governor Oborevwori left the PDP for the APC on Wednesday. His departure is especially significant given Delta’s deep-rooted loyalty to the PDP over the last two decades. Analysts view the move as a critical shift that may influence the political balance in the South-South region.
Dave Umahi – Ebonyi State
Governor Umahi defected to the APC in November 2020 during his second term, citing longstanding grievances over the PDP’s treatment of the Southeast. He argued that the region was politically marginalized and praised the APC’s infrastructural developments under President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ben Ayade – Cross River State
Ayade made his move to the APC in May 2021, stating that he sought better collaboration with the federal government to attract development projects to his state. His defection was widely seen as a calculated step to align Cross River with the federal centre.
Bello Matawalle – Zamfara State
Matawalle crossed over to the APC in June 2021 amidst intense political tension in Zamfara. The defection was interpreted as a bid to solidify control and secure backing from the national leadership amid the state’s volatile political environment.
Aminu Tambuwal – Sokoto State
Tambuwal’s political journey has seen multiple party switches. He left the PDP for APC ahead of the 2015 elections, only to return to the PDP in 2018. While serving as governor, he was again rumored to be considering a move back to the APC, underscoring his reputation as a political strategist navigating shifting alliances.
Aliyu Wamakko – Sokoto State
One of the pioneers of the 2014 wave of defections, Wamakko left the PDP for the APC while serving as Sokoto State Governor. His early shift helped galvanize opposition momentum that ultimately led to APC’s historic win in the 2015 general elections.
Abdulfatah Ahmed – Kwara State
Ahmed was part of the 2014 political realignment in Kwara State, where he, alongside then-Senate President Bukola Saraki, left the PDP for the APC. Though he later returned to the PDP, the original defection helped usher in the APC’s dominance in Kwara, famously referred to as the Kwara political tsunami.
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