The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said governors and other members abandoning the platform that brought them to power will soon regret their decision.
The opposition party accused defectors joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of greed, selfishness, and covetousness, insisting that Nigerians not politicians will ultimately decide their fate in the 2027 general election.
Since the 2023 polls, four PDP governors Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, Peter Mbah of Enugu State, and Douye Diri of Bayelsa State have left the party. While the first three immediately joined the APC, Diri, who recently resigned from the PDP, is yet to declare his new political affiliation.
Similarly, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, and several key allies have also withdrawn their memberships.
Speaking in an interview on Arise Television, PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, described the wave of defections as acts of “greed, avarice, and selfishness.”
“You cannot find any compelling reason for a governor, especially one on a second term, like in Bayelsa, to abandon the party that produced him,” Abdullahi said. “There’s no justification other than covetousness and greed.”
He maintained that despite internal challenges, the PDP remains strong and focused on rebuilding ahead of 2027.
“Our party is in good stead. Like every other political party, we have internal issues, but we’ve resolved the major ones that could have weakened our ability to serve as a credible opposition,” he said.
Abdullahi dismissed the defections as inconsequential, saying they offer the PDP an opportunity to “weed out terrible elements” ahead of its forthcoming national convention in Ibadan, which he said would “redefine and reposition” the party.
“These few elements are driven by selfishness and the coercion of the ruling party. To the PDP, it’s good riddance to bad rubbish,” he added.
The PDP spokesperson also faulted Enugu Governor Peter Mbah’s claim that the South-East has been marginalised within the party, noting that the region had produced five Senate Presidents and prominent ministers under previous PDP administrations.
“If you claim the PDP has not provided leadership, as a governor, you are the custodian of that leadership in your state. So, if leadership is lacking, it’s an admission of failure on your part,” Abdullahi said.
He also criticised former Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, accusing him of diminishing his political standing.
“It’s disappointing that a former governor and former member of the National Assembly has reduced himself to a personal assistant, literally carrying bags for a sitting minister. That’s shameless,” he added.
In a related reaction, the South-South Zonal Caretaker Chairman of the PDP, Elder Emmanuel Ogidi, alleged that the defecting governors were being coerced by the ruling APC.
“Even second-term governors are leaving, and we don’t know why. Some of it is personal, but we know there’s coercion. They’re being threatened seriously,” Ogidi said.
“Nigerians already know that the APC wants to turn the country into a one-party state. That’s their ultimate goal.”
