President Bola Ahmed Tinubu held a closed-door meeting with Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday.
The visit marks the governor’s first official engagement with the president since his high-profile defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on April 23, 2025.
The meeting, which began around 3:45 p.m., underscores the consolidation of Oborevwori’s political realignment and signals a strengthening of APC’s grip on the oil-rich South-South state, a former PDP stronghold since 1999.
A Historic Defection and Its Context
Governor Oborevwori, a former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly (2017–2023), led an unprecedented political shift when he, alongside his predecessor, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa (2015–2023), Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme, and the entire PDP structure in Delta State, defected to the APC.
The announcement, made after a six-hour closed-door meeting at Government House, Asaba, on April 23, 2025, included state executives, cabinet members, local government chairmen, 500 councillors, ward chairmen, and other stakeholders.
This mass exodus, described by President Tinubu as a “political tsunami of unimaginable proportions,” marked the first time a sitting Delta governor abandoned the PDP, which had dominated the state for 26 years.
The defection was formalized on April 28, 2025, at a grand rally at the Cenotaph in Asaba, where Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing Tinubu, officially received Oborevwori, Okowa, and their supporters.
The event, attended by 26 APC governors, including Kwara’s AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Lagos’ Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and Imo’s Hope Uzodinma, underscored the APC’s growing dominance in the South-South.
APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje handed Oborevwori the party flag and broom, symbolizing his new role as the party’s leader in Delta, per the APC constitution.
Ganduje praised the “cordial relationship” between Oborevwori and Okowa, a rarity in Nigerian politics, and hinted at more governors joining the APC soon.
Oborevwori justified the move as a “patriotic movement” to align Delta with the federal government, citing Tinubu’s support and the state’s marginalization during its years in opposition.
“Delta cannot carry last. We have been in opposition for almost ten years. Mr. President has shown us love. We cannot face him in 2027 to work against him,” he declared at the Asaba rally, promising 1.4 million votes for Tinubu’s re-election.
Okowa, the PDP’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, emphasized the need to “connect to Abuja” for resources and goodwill, given Delta’s role as a major oil-producing state.
Ripple Effects: State and National Lawmakers Follow Suit
The defection extended beyond the executive branch. The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Emomotimi Guwor, and 21 of the 29 assembly members crossed over to the APC, cementing the party’s control over the state legislature.
On May 6, 2025, during a House of Representatives plenary in Abuja, six Delta PDP lawmakers—Victor Onyemaechi Nwokolo (Ika North East/Ika South), Julius Gbabojor Pondi (Burutu), Thomas Ereyitomi (Warri North/Warri South/Warri South West), Nicholas Ebomo Mutu (Bomadi/Patani), Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu (Ethiope), and Benedict Etanabene (Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie)—announced their defection to the APC, as confirmed by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
This followed earlier defections by four other Delta representatives, completing the state’s federal legislative shift to the APC.
The move has reshaped Delta’s political landscape and bolstered APC’s regional influence, reducing the PDP’s governorship states to ten.
Similar defections in Rivers and Cross River have further eroded the PDP’s South-South stronghold, prompting concerns about a potential one-party state.
APC leaders, including Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo and Senator Magnus Abe, hailed Oborevwori’s defection as a “courageous” step that strengthens the party’s foothold, with Keyamo declaring, “Finally, Delta is APC!”
The Aso Rock Meeting: Consolidating Ties
While details of the May 6, 2025, closed-door meeting remain undisclosed, it is widely seen as a strategic session to solidify Oborevwori’s integration into the APC and align Delta’s priorities with Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda.
Oborevwori arrived alone at the Presidential Villa, signaling a direct and personal engagement with the president.
Analysts suggest the talks likely covered governance, resource allocation, and strategies to unify the APC in Delta, given internal tensions.
Oborevwori has vowed to resolve grievances within the Delta APC, particularly from figures like former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, who initially opposed his and Okowa’s entry in February 2025, arguing they were “not welcome.”
Omo-Agege later welcomed Oborevwori, citing Tinubu’s “political sagacity” and promising a unified front for the April 28 rally.
Oborevwori asserted his leadership, stating, “I don’t believe in Festus Keyamo and Omo-Agege’s factions. I’m the leader of the APC in Delta, and everybody must queue.”
Opposition Backlash and Public Sentiment
The PDP has reacted fiercely, demanding Oborevwori vacate his seat and instructing its legal team to challenge the defection, citing violations of the Electoral Act. Former Senate President Bukola Saraki, while urging defectors to leave, remains optimistic about rebuilding the PDP as a viable opposition, warning against a one-party state.
Atiku Abubakar, leading an opposition coalition, dismissed the defections as irrelevant to 2027, framing the election as “APC versus Nigerians.”
However, Tinubu’s aides, like Bayo Onanuga, claim the defections signal the collapse of Atiku’s coalition.
Public sentiment on X reflects polarized views. Posts from @dipoaina1 and @NigeriaStories highlighted the Aso Rock meeting, with @fkeyamo celebrating Oborevwori as Delta’s “indisputable leader” under Tinubu’s guidance.
Critics like @Aljazirahnewsng decried the defections as a “political coup,” while supporters like @Imranmuhdz praised Oborevwori’s alignment with Tinubu’s vision.
What you should know
The Tinubu-Oborevwori meeting symbolizes a critical step in cementing APC’s dominance in Delta, a state vital for its 1.4 million votes and oil wealth.
Oborevwori’s defection, backed by Okowa’s political machinery, positions the APC to consolidate power ahead of 2027, though internal rivalries and legal challenges loom.
The PDP’s weakened state and Atiku’s defiant rhetoric suggest a contentious political battle, with Nigeria’s democratic health at stake.
As Tinubu and Oborevwori align, the focus will be on delivering development to justify the “movement” to the APC. For Delta’s citizens, the promise of federal resources and unity must translate into tangible progress, or the “tsunami” may face a backlash.
The Aso Rock talks mark a new chapter, but the road to 2027 remains fraught with challenges.
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