Former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has described the wave of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a long-anticipated move, calling out prominent opposition figures for allegedly working behind the scenes with the ruling party.
The political landscape in Delta State witnessed a major shake-up after Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor Ifeanyi Okowa, and key members of the PDP structure in the state officially defected to the APC. The shift also included Delta North Senator, Ned Nwoko, who had clinched his seat on the PDP platform during the 2023 elections.
Justifying the decision, Delta State Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, released a statement on behalf of Governor Oborevwori, stating that the defection was driven by a desire to promote peace, unity, and security in the state.
“The move is aimed at strengthening the bond of unity that has existed within Delta,” the statement read. “We believe that aligning with the APC will better position us to enhance the security and welfare of our people. Politics, after all, is local. And for us to truly build a Delta State that every indigene can be proud of, it became necessary to move away from the PDP.”
Using a metaphor, the statement added: “The PDP has become like palm wine that has lost its original taste, prompting us to change our drinking style.”
Reacting on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Sowore expressed little surprise at the development, asserting that many opposition politicians were never truly committed to resisting the APC.
“All these crooks are working for Bola Tinubu,” he wrote. “Whether in PDP, Labour Party or elsewhere, they pretend to oppose the APC, while secretly aligning with it. They form fake ‘coalitions’ and accuse anyone outside their clique of working for the APC—meanwhile, they’re the ones quietly migrating into the arms of the same party they claim to fight.”
Sowore’s comments underscore growing public skepticism about the integrity of Nigeria’s opposition figures, many of whom have been accused of opportunism rather than ideological loyalty. The latest defections have intensified debates over the credibility of the political class and the future of opposition politics in Nigeria.
