Nigeria’s important opposition celebration, the Peoples Democratic Party, has suffered a serious political setback after shedding two key governors, leaving it with management of solely eight states nationwide.
Enugu’s Peter Mbah and Bayelsa’s Douye Diri each dumped the PDP for the ruling All Progressives Congress inside 24 hours this week, in what analysts describe as a extreme blow to the opposition’s construction forward of the 2027 elections.
Mbah, who joined the APC on Tuesday, October 14, in Enugu, blamed his defection on the PDP’s “internal crisis” and mentioned aligning with the federal authorities would higher serve his state. He was acquired by APC leaders who described his transfer as a “homecoming.”
Barely a day later, on Wednesday, October 15,Diri introduced his exit in Yenagoa, citing “obvious reasons” linked to the PDP’s ongoing turmoil. His departure adopted months of hypothesis about rising rifts throughout the celebration.
Reacting to the event on Tuesday, PDP Chieftain, Chief Bode George, expressed deep disappointment however maintained that the celebration stays centered on rebuilding.
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The defections proceed a troubling sample for the PDP, which started 2025 with 11 governors however has now misplaced three this yr alone, together with Delta’s Sheriff Oborevwori in April.
Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi Governor, Bala Mohammed, had described the wave of defections as alarming however mentioned efforts have been underway to revive unity earlier than the celebration’s November conference in Ibadan.
The PDP now controls solely eight states: Adamawa, Bauchi, Plateau, Taraba, Zamfara, Oyo, Rivers, and Osun.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party holds Abia beneath Alex Otti, APGA governs Anambra via Charles Soludo, and NNPP maintains Kano beneath Abba Kabir Yusuf, collectively managing simply three states.
Former Senate President Adolphus Wabara condemned the wave of defections as a part of an APC “one-party game plan,” warning that Nigeria’s democracy dangers shedding its stability of energy because the ruling celebration now dominates 24 states.
