The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing one of its toughest moments since its formation, as a wave of defections by top members and governors to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) continues to weaken the former ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Analysts say the situation rivals the 2015 crisis, when then Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi led several governors out of the PDP — a move that contributed to the party’s loss of power.
In 2025 alone, four sitting governors have dumped the PDP for the APC, triggering widespread concerns about the party’s survival and internal cohesion.
In April, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor Ifeanyi Okowa, and other key PDP members in the state defected to the APC after a marathon meeting in Asaba. The announcement, made by Senator James Manager, marked the beginning of what observers describe as a major political realignment.
Two months later, Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno formally joined the APC, citing the need to “align the state with the federal government” and describing his move as “a step taken after extensive consultations.”
Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah followed suit, declaring his defection on Tuesday, saying the PDP had lost touch with the people. “This is not a betrayal,” he said. “It’s about ensuring the people’s mandate is best served.”
Barely 24 hours later, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri also announced his defection through his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, who revealed that the state’s House of Assembly Speaker and all PDP lawmakers had joined the APC.
The mass defections have fueled debate over the cause of the PDP’s decline. Former aide to Peter Obi, Katchy Ononuju, blamed the crisis on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s refusal to respect zoning ahead of the 2023 presidential election. “PDP is paying the price for not zoning the presidency,” he said, adding that Atiku’s ambition “finally killed the PDP.”
However, Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, dismissed claims that his principal was responsible for the party’s woes. “Those defecting have shown that Atiku was never the problem. The PDP was giving him problems, not the other way around,” Ibe said.
Despite the turmoil, political figures believe the PDP can still recover. Action Alliance (AA) National Chairman Kenneth Udeze said the party “will remain” as long as it retains committed members, but warned that defections have hit it “below the belt.” He also described defectors as “politicians without balls,” urging Nigerians to consider emerging parties like the AA.
Former Arewa Consultative Forum Secretary, Anthony Sani, said the defections highlight the lack of ideology in Nigerian politics. “Politicians are not driven by principles but by the electability of their parties,” he noted, predicting that the PDP could split into factions by 2027.
The PDP currently controls eight states — Adamawa, Rivers, Plateau, Osun, Bauchi, Oyo, Taraba, and Zamfara — a sharp decline from its dominance a decade ago.
