PDP moves to sue Oborevwori, Okowa, Delta Officials over defection to APC

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has directed its Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, to commence legal proceedings against the Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori; Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and the entire PDP structure in Delta State for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking with journalists after the party’s first National Working Committee (NWC) meeting of the year, Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, said the PDP was determined to challenge the defection in court, insisting that the affected officials were elected on the party’s platform and must answer for their actions.

Damagum also announced that Emma Ogidi, the Caretaker Chairman for the PDP South-South zone, has been assigned to take over the party’s leadership in Delta State. He further instructed Ogidi to begin the search for new leaders in the state, ignoring the existing structure under Chief Dan Orbih.

The crisis in the PDP worsened on April 23, 2025, when Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor Oborevwori, and other top party members, including Delta’s Deputy Governor, Monday Onyeme, state commissioners, council chairmen, and grassroots supporters defected to the APC. The move came after a private meeting in Asaba and was reportedly driven by ongoing political changes referred to by observers as the “Hurricane Tinubu”.

This defection has sparked concerns among opposition voices, who fear the country could slide towards one-party dominance if such high-profile moves continue unchecked.

In response, the PDP has scheduled its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting for May 27, where members will further deliberate on the recent events and the party’s next line of action.