Dominic Adewole 
Preamble:
The more you look into politics in Delta State, the less you see the intrigues surrounding its dynamism. Who could have believed that the Big Heart State, without been keenly contested and won by an opposition political party, would willingly submit to superior political force?
It has happened. It was like a dream. Delta State is now an All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled state. It’s incumbent Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, said he has set a political legacy by being the first Govenor in Nigeria to have collapsed the entire structure of a political party in a state to another.
Little wonder, Vice President Kashim Shettima who represented his boss, President Bola Tinubu, made bold to say, “Today is not merely a day of receiving new members. This is a declaration that the spirit of our great nation is alive — a spirit that dreams beyond personal ambition, beyond party lines, and sees the larger arc of history. Nigeria is greater than all of us, and what we do here today is a step towards strengthening her promise.”
Oborevwori elated
Joy was like a river on the face of the Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori when the Vice President, Shettima, pronounced him as a co-owner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday April 26, and went ahead to declare him the incumbent leader of the party in the state.
He said, “You are not guests in this house (party), you are now co-owners. This is now as much your party as it is ours”, the VP said, describing the new entrants as “giants in Nigerian politics.”
The Vice President did not stop at that, he went ahead to say the Governor, his predecessor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and other members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that came with them are “fellow architects of a better Nigeria”.
Why defection
Governor Oborevwori, who described the defection as a “historic movement” in the best interest of the state, said, “What you have seen here today is a movement, it is not a defection; We have done consultations with our National Assembly members, with the leaders, with stakeholders at the state level, at the senatorial level, at the local government level, at the ward level, and we all decided that we must all join APC.
“This is Delta State. We cannot carry last. When we stand for something, we remain committed to it. We have been in opposition for almost 10 years. Do we need that? 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 to us in Delta State, we need to reciprocate it.
“We cannot do it in our own party. We have to be inside to do it, and to do it well. When you consult widely you see everybody will come with you and you can see that the love is organic. You can see my relationship with governors. You see all the governors here.
“You see the large number of governors. Yesterday nine came and slept over. Today, see all of them here. I want to bless all of you. I want to thank all of you.
“This is a movement. This is not a defection; We have agreed we will move together and when we move together, we will be able to grab what is at the national.
“Our members in the National Assembly they are the next. They have agreed they will all defect on the floor of the House, and we have justification to move.
“All of us want to be in the ‘Renewed Hope’ Agenda of Mr President, which is in line with my MORE Agenda. For us in Delta State, it is a testament, and I believe other governors will join because it is a movement and when you have a movement, you don’t fail.
“There are some things people say in newspapers, that there is confusion, there is a faction in Delta APC. As I have come, there will be no faction again. Let me tell you, the Governor takes charge, and we are taking charge.
“I don’t believe in any faction, whether (Ogie) Omo-Agege or (Festus) Keyamo factions, everybody must queue and we will unite the party to move this state forward for the benefit of our people and to bring development, peace and unity to our state and Nigeria.”
Former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa said, “This decision is in the best interest of the state. We need to connect to the centre to gain more democratic dividends. It is in the best interest of the state and the people. We need to embrace each other with the oneness of heart. I believe a great result will come forth from this decision.”
The Commissioner for Information, who doubles as the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads), Mr. Charles Aniagwu said, “We discovered that the vehicle we were in, that is the PDP had developed serious challenges. Initially, we thought it was just a flat tyre and tried to fix it with the help of political ‘vulcanizers.’ But as time went on, we realized it was a deeper issue as the brain box was compromised. And unfortunately, those who were supposed to fix it appeared to be introducing more problems instead”.
Also, the three senatorial districts of the state, Delta North, Delta South and Delta Central, were already being manned by APC Senators, which made the state a low hanging fruit for the ruling party to grab in 2027.
Oborevwori is in need of second tenure. The challenge being posed by APC chieftains, including Omo-Agege, across the state has pushed him to a tight corner. He is afraid too, that President Tinubu, who is a core politician may have shown interest in some. South South state’s, including his own Delta
Ganduje commended President Tinubu for providing good leadership that is attracting more credible persons into the APC fold.
Greatest beneficiaries, losers:
Governor Oborevwori is the major beneficiary. His second tenure ticket is assured. He has successfully struck a merger of the two parties to coast to victory in 2027.
More importantly, Okowa is Oborevwori’s political benefactor. He’d try to do something to mastermind soft-landing for him over his N1.3 trillion petition before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). And one of the ways to achieve this is to be in APC. Listen to Okowa during defectio: “This decision is in the best interest of the state. We need to connect to the centre to gain more democratic dividends. It is in the best interest of the state and the people. We need to embrace each other with the oneness of heart. I believe a great result will come forth from this decision,” Okowa assured.
Also, former governor, James Ibori is now in a better stead to secure presidential pardon and fully bounce back into mainstream politics, and possibly become a Senator in the nearest future.
Without mincing words, Omo-Agege is the greatest loser. His ambition to be governor of the oil rich state may have suffered a major setback, except he seeks alternative means to pursue his dream. No wonder a PDP chieftain and three-time Commissioner in the state, Prof Patrick Muoboghare, said: “a lion has just been caged in his own den.” He urged him to return to PDP to pick the governshorship ticket, if he desires to be governor.
The Senator, representing Delta North, Prince Ned Nwoko’s ambition to return to the Senate may be difficult. Now that the Govenor has been pronounced as the leader of the party, his Anioma State pursuit, is hanging in the imbalance already. He’d need to seek go-ahead from his leader. No wonder, the Governor’s Commissioner for Information, Aniagwu, said, “When the taste of the palm wine changes, the drinking pattern changes too.”
Why the choice of APC
In the spirit of ‘If you cannot beat them, you join them”, Governor Oborevworii bowed to pressure.
Although, Vice President Shettima credited the party’s longevity to its collaborative approach, observing that “dialogue, not dictation, has been our shield against disintegration,” just as he said there was no way the party could have survived this long without listening to one another, it is clear that other considerations were at play in the choice of APC.
“Our tables have always been tables of dialogue, places where every member, no matter how great or small, is welcomed to air their grievances, challenge our direction, and shape our future. What sets the APC apart is not an illusion of uniformity; it is our acceptance, that differences are inevitable and that greatness lies in managing them.
This, he said, made the Govenor, Okowa and their teeming supporters to prefer AP.
The key players
Before Oborevwori started to shuttle Asaba and Abuja to perfect the deal with the National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, he had been fraternizing with the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Chief Hope Uzodinma and the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman-AbdulRazaq. The duo were present during the marriage of his son earlier this year.
Prior to this, Governor Oborevwori was the only PDP Governor that participated in the birthday bash of President Tinubu in 2023 in Lagos. It was there the progressive governors, led by the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, allegedly took him to the celebrant and said, “Baba, Delta Governor is here o!”. That was how he walked his way into the heart of the President.
Since then, the progressive governors saw the potential of a progressive governor in him and placed his matter on special notice.
They soon brought the need to forge a common front as Southerners in Nigeria for future politics. That was how Oborevwori got convinced.
Ibori’s factor
Shortly after President Tinubu was declared the winner of the 2023 presidential election and sworn in, the former Governor of Delta state, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, who happened to be the new President’s colleague in the Nigerian Governors’ Forum when he was the Governor of Lagos State, and who was humiliated in the governorship politics that culminated in the emergence of Governor Oborevwori when Okowa was the helmsman, shelved party divide, went to the Aso-Rock, to congratulate him and pledged support to his government.
His daughter, Eriatake, a member of the House of Representatives for Ethiope constituency, has since defected from PDP to APC on the floor of the House.
Ibori’s body language has shown to every discerning mind that he’s likely to move.
The danger
Ibori who was conspicuously absent during Oborevwori and Okowa’s defection is yet to declare for APC. Who knows his next line of action?
Two aides to the Governor already resigned their appointments owing to the defection.
Also, some PDP members in Ughelli North, Burutu and Ika South have refused to defect to APC, insisting that “We will remain in PDP to pose the necessary opposition.
For Chuks Ododo, a political analyst,
Youths in Delta State must begin to ask tough questions, not just follow political tides. This is not just about party colours or slogans, it is about their future, their visibility, and their voice in governance. The truth is that many of them were already waiting for recognition. Now, with the party queue doubled in size, their wait may be indefinite. And while party leaders proclaim that this is in the best interest of the state, only time will reveal whether that interest is collective or selective.
He continued, “If a family of five struggles to eat two square meals a day, what happens when that same family suddenly increases to forty?” This analogy captures the current dilemma facing young politicians in the state.
Anticipated benefits
The chairman of Ughelli North Council, Jaro Egbo, listed several potential benefits that would flow from the Governor’s defection.
– Enhanced access to federal government special intervention funds.
– Expedited approval and implementation of federal infrastructure projects in Delta State.
– Greater influence in national policy formulations affecting the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
– Improved diplomatic relations with the presidency and federal ministries.
– Potential cabinet positions for Delta politicians in future federal government reshuffles.
As the dust settles over the political earthquake, the Governor must resist the temptation of basking in the euphoria of his new-found political home as the next two years must be dedicated to rebuilding trust, delivering on promises, and focusing squarely on development.
