Less than a week after Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori was officially welcomed to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), his Akwa Ibom counterpart, Umo Eno, has heightened speculation about following suit, describing the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a “spoilt plane” incapable of reaching his desired political destination in 2027.
Speaking at a Town Square meeting for Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency on Tuesday, held at QIC Central School, Ikot Akpankuk, Eno told the crowd, “If you wanted to travel with Ibom Airline, and on the verge of taking off, it developed a fault that won’t enable it to fly, won’t you board the next available plane to take you to your destination?”
Despite the hint, Eno urged the people of Akwa Ibom to continue supporting his administration as it works to deliver on its campaign promises.
Ologbondiyan predicts APC defection crisis
Reacting to the development, PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba dismissed the speculation as premature, stressing that Eno has not officially defected.
He expressed confidence that Eno would remain with the PDP.
Ologunagba added that while the recent defection of Delta’s governor and PDP executives to the APC is significant, it does not necessarily reflect the position of the electorate. He urged Nigerians to defend the nation’s democracy by preventing a one-party state and reiterated the PDP’s commitment to rebuilding and refocusing the party for free and fair democratic participation.
He further cautioned President Bola Tinubu against viewing these defections as a guarantee for re-election in 2027.
Also, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP’s former National Publicity Secretary, predicted a defection crisis within the APC.
Speaking on Arise Television, Ologbondiyan said there were signs that a defection crisis was already brewing in the APC. He pointed to the agitation within political blocs that formed the APC, including the recent moves by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) to leave the ruling party.
Ologbondiyan said, “It is the PDP bell that is ringing now, and everybody is talking about mass defection. I can assure you that very soon, it’s going to start with the APC. I don’t know if it was on this programme, but I remember saying on this platform that implosions are going to happen, and they will not be limited to the Peoples Democratic Party.
“Even as you speak today, if you have your ears to the ground in the All Progressives Congress, you’re already aware that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu led into the APC, is in tatters, and that is the truth.
“And I’m sure you saw recently when the CPC, the faction that former President Muhammadu Buhari led into the APC, began to agitate. Some people are saying, ‘Oh, we will not go, we’ll stay in the APC, we will not leave.’ Others are saying, ‘Oh, you cannot speak for us.’ All these accounts point to one fact: implosion is coming.”
According to Ologbondiyan, the current defection wave in the PDP is “a normal situation” that requires politicians to align and realign.
In the same vein, the PDP’s Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, urged Governor Eno to focus on electoral reforms instead of defecting.
He expressed his concerns in Abuja yesterday, calling the governor’s potential defection “very, very unfortunate.” He stressed that Eno, who has been a beneficiary of the PDP for over 25 years, has a moral obligation to uphold Nigeria’s democratic integrity.
Osadolor urged Eno to champion key electoral reforms, such as the Intelligent Result Viewing Portal (iREV) and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), both of which enhance transparency in the electoral process.
He added, “When you assume that people possess integrity, class, and substance, it is deeply disappointing to discover they are, in fact, merely small men in oversized clothes and big shoes.” Osadolor voiced his disillusionment over the governor’s reported plans, questioning what justification Eno would offer for his defection.
He argued that political leaders should stand with the Nigerian people to push for reforms, rather than switching allegiances out of personal fears.
Osadolor suggested that Eno, a long-time member of the PDP, may be considering defection out of fear of being “rigged out” in the next election.
Meanwhile, Governor Umo Eno’s anticipated defection has reportedly sparked jubilation within the camp of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who is said to be positioning himself to reclaim political leadership in the state.
This development aligns with broader efforts to consolidate APC’s grip in the South-South region, as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Heineken Lokpobiri, is also reported to be under pressure to bring Bayelsa State into APC’s fold.
Sources revealed that APC National Assembly members and ministers have been tasked with ensuring their states come under APC control ahead of the party’s scheduled congresses in August. However, APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, dismissed claims of such a directive, describing it as baseless.
An aide to Akpabio expressed excitement over Eno’s imminent move, noting that it aligns with a strategic plan dubbed “Lagos-Calabar,” aimed at unifying South-South states under the APC. “As we speak, only Bayelsa State is yet to join the moving train.
But I can tell you that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Senator Lokpobiri, is working hard,” the aide said.
Atiku unbothered by Okowa’s decamp, reaffirms commitment to PDP
THIS came as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said he harbours no ill feelings towards Ifeanyi Okowa, his running mate in the 2023 presidential election, following Okowa’s recent defection to the APC.
Speaking through his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku emphasised the democratic right of individuals to choose their political affiliations, describing it as a fundamental pillar of democracy.
“Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar bears no grudges; he has said that, and he means it,” Ibe remarked.
“As a democrat, he subscribes to the universality and constitutionality of the freedom of association, which is one of the pillars of democracy, without which democracy would be meaningless.”
Ibe also reaffirmed Atiku’s loyalty to the PDP, clarifying that the former vice president has no intention of defecting to another party.
“We have addressed the issues about coalition, and remember that we had a statement to that effect; Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is not leaving the PDP, and he has said that clearly,” Ibe stated.
“As for those talking about him leaving the PDP, we don’t know where they are getting that from.”
Senate Minority Leader faults Atiku for failing to resolve PDP crisis
However, Abba Moro, the Senate Minority Leader, criticised Atiku for lack of leadership in addressing the ongoing crisis within the PDP.
During an interview with Channels Television, Moro, who represents Benue South, attributed the party’s ongoing challenges to Atiku’s failure to lead the PDP after the 2023 defeat.
Moro said Atiku, who harbours presidential ambitions, should have taken charge from the outset following the election loss to unite the party and restore its cohesion.
“Given his ambition to contest once more, I expected Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to have started from day one after the 2023 election to galvanise the PDP and hold some levels of cohesion within the party,” Moro said.
Following Okowa’s defection to the APC, the Executive Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Public Enlightenment (Projects and Policies), Mr Olisa Ifeajika, yesterday, dismissed reports claiming that former governor regretted being the running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 presidential election.
At a press briefing in Asaba, Ifeajika clarified: “In that (television) interview, there was no time when Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa said he regretted being Vice Presidential candidate to Atiku or being on the ticket with him.”
He described the reports as false and urged the public to disregard them. He explained: “What Okowa said was that in the course of the campaign, they realised that people wanted a president from the South. At that point, nothing could be done as the Peoples Democratic Party was already on the ballot, working hard to win the election. The electorate had the power, and they voted as they wanted.”
He noted that lessons were learned from the experience, particularly the importance of conducting a needs assessment to understand voter preferences.
Addressing why many PDP members, including Okowa, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ifeajika said: “At the time we left, PDP was already a sinking boat, a shadow of itself. The umbrella is torn, and it no longer covers anybody anymore.”
Formidable candidate from North will counter Tinubu, says Dele Momodu
Relatedly, a PDP chieftain, Dele Momodu, has suggested that a formidable candidate from the North would be the most effective opposition to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Momodu emphasised the strategic importance of the North in Nigerian politics, stating that the region feels marginalised under Tinubu’s administration.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, the former PDP presidential aspirant said the perceived marginalisation could provoke Northern voters against the ruling government.
Describing Nigerian politics as an “optical illusion—much like magic, the more you look, the less you see,” Momodu stressed the need for strategic thinking in challenging Tinubu.
He stated, “I believe Tinubu can only be effectively countered by another strong candidate from the North.
“Any Southerner who thinks they can challenge Tinubu is likely wasting their time. The PDP—or any coalition—must recognise that power dynamics require strategic thinking.
“They cannot expect success with a Southern candidate alone if they truly wish to contest Tinubu’s position.”
The veteran publisher also underscored the significance of coalition politics, arguing that a united opposition, including influential Northern figures like Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, could strengthen the chances of defeating the incumbent.
Also, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has stated that the APC will officially welcome former state governor, Chief James Ibori, into the party.
Oborevwori made the announcement during a vigil mass held in honour of the former deputy governor of Delta State, Prof Amos Utuama.
Although Ibori has been working closely with the APC for the past two years, he has yet to make an official declaration of his defection.
Emphasising the need for unity within the Urhobo political class, Oborevwori said, “We will welcome former Governor James Ibori to our party, the APC.”
