At least three Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors have almost finalised plans to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The governors are Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Agbu Kefas of Taraba State, and Douye Diri of Bayelsa State.
Although Mbah is set to formally defect on Tuesday, the moves by Kefas and Diri are still at the consultation stage, LEADERSHIP Weekend has learnt.
However, while spokespersons for governors Kefas and Diri have dismissed their principals’ defection as rumours, state chapters of the PDP have remained evasive, saying they cannot comment on the matter.
The governors are reportedly leaving the party over its protracted leadership crisis, which has seen most of its key figures either move to the APC or join the opposition coalition, African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Interestingly, the anticipated defections come barely weeks before the party’s National Convention on 15 November, in which the three governors are integral members of the planning committee.
Months ago, Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno and his Delta counterpart, Sheriff Oborevwori, also dumped the PDP for the APC, citing the same leadership crisis.
During the defections in Uyo and Asaba, former APC national chairman Dr Abdullahi Ganduje had revealed that more opposition governors and other chieftains would soon follow suit.
LEADERSHIP Weekend had exclusively reported earlier this year that PDP governors were preparing to dump the party.
But addressing newsmen on Thursday, PDP’s national publicity secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba, admitted that some governors were on the verge of leaving but added that their exit wouldn’t affect the national convention.
“Yes, we’re concerned as a political party, but we are not deterred – because, like I said, and I will refer to that again – the train for the 2025 elective convention of the PDP has figuratively arrived at Ibadan,” he said.
He further accused the APC of orchestrating the defections through intimidation, coercion, and blackmail, all in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
Mbah Joins APC Tuesday
Barring any change of plans, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah is set to join the ruling APC on Tuesday.
Hints of his imminent defection emerged at the inauguration of a seven-man caretaker committee for the APC in Enugu State.
The APC also vowed to take total control of the South East geopolitical zone.
The caretaker committee comprises Dr Ben Nwoye (Chairman), Hon Eugene Odoh (Secretary), and members Fidelia Njeze, Peter Chime, Dr Oby Ajih, Dr Chiedozie Nwafor, and Emma Ekeh.
The dissolution of the previous leadership and appointment of the caretaker committee is in anticipation of Mbah’s official defection.
Inaugurating the committee, APC National Chairman Prof Nentawe Yilwatda stressed the need to strengthen the party’s influence in the South East ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Yilwatda said the party’s National Working Committee followed due process in dissolving the former executive and urged the caretaker committee to unite the party and ensure APC’s success in future elections.
“We are working towards elections. We want to ensure that we have overwhelming success and outing in 2027. The Renewed Hope Agenda has achieved much,” he said.
Speaking to journalists after the inauguration, Nwoye said the governor’s defection would mark a turning point for the APC in Enugu and the South East.
“For the past 10 years, Enugu State has remained in opposition. But all that will change on Tuesday, 14 October 2024, when the governor will be declaring for the APC.
“And the governor is not coming alone; he is coming with 260 ward councillors, 24 members of the House of Assembly, members of the National Assembly, and the entire exco.’
A source close to Mbah listed three reasons why the governor was planning to leave the PDP.
He listed the failure of the PDP to ratify Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as South East’s choice to complete the remaining tenure of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who had won the party’s ticket and flew the party’s flag in the November 2023 Imo governorship election, had pitted the party and its South East causes.
He also listed endless crises in the PDP as a major factor fueling defections from the party.
While reiterating the possibility of South East and himself dumping the party during Governor Seyi Makinde’s intervention visit to Enugu on June 30, Mbah maintained that “we reserve the right to review our continued membership of the party if the party is unwilling to put its house in order.”
We’re Waiting to Receive Kefas – Taraba APC Chair
Similarly, the APC in Taraba State says it is ready to welcome Governor Agbu Kefas once he concludes his consultations.
State APC chairman, Barr Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi, told LEADERSHIP Weekend that while no official contact had been made, he was aware the governor had been consulting widely.
“The governor has set up a committee that is consulting across the 16 local government areas to ascertain his acceptability to defect,” he said.
“He cannot just come to us directly. He has to finish with his people first, and politically, that’s the right step to take.
“We have heard he is going round, in preparation to join our party. Although I have not had any official discussion with anyone, if the information turns out to be true, then he’s on the right path.”
When asked if the party has space to accommodate the governor, El-Sudi responded:
“We have space to accommodate everybody. We’ve never rejected anyone. Whatever your ambition, the party is big enough to accommodate it.
“If he eventually comes, he’s an asset. All we want is a governor who will work for Tarabans, and if he’ll do that under our platform, we’ll be happier than anyone else.”
El-Sudi advised those grumbling about the governor’s possible defection to forgo the idea.
“We cannot afford to continuously remain in opposition. If the opportunity comes that a sitting governor wants to join us, it’s a welcome development,” he said.
When contacted, Taraba PDP chairman Abubakar Bawa responded briefly via text: “I don’t know anything.”
State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Barr Zainab Usman Ahmed, also dismissed the defection story as “mere speculation”.
“Just as you’ve heard or read about it in the media, so have we. As a government, we don’t work with rumours,” she said.
We Can’t Talk About Diri’s Defection Yet – Bayelsa PDP
Speculations are also rife that Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri might defect on October 14.
Efforts to get confirmation from his chief press secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, were unsuccessful. Although he read a message sent to him, no response had been provided at the time of filing this report.
However, PDP state publicity secretary, Hon Ebiye Ogoli, said he was unfit to comment on the matter.
“The matter is too big for me to speak on now. I don’t know what is happening, but at the right time, all information will be made public.
“For now, everything is just rumours. There’s nothing concrete about the governor’s defection.”
Meanwhile, APC organising secretary in Bayelsa, Hon Tokpo Coronation, told LEADERSHIP Weekend that there had been no formal communication, but confirmed the party was aware of the rumours.
“If the governor eventually joins the APC, we’ll welcome him warmly. He could help bring unity and peace among different factions of the party in Bayelsa,” he said.
However, he warned that the governor’s approach would determine whether his defection would strengthen or divide the party.
“If he comes and adopts a unification strategy, there’ll be no issues. But if he takes sides with a faction, crisis may arise.
“We don’t pray for crisis. We want peace and unity in the party. Governor Diri is a man of peace and intelligence, so we believe he won’t provoke any internal conflict.”
It was, however, gathered that Diri’s defection has become problematic as he has not been able to convince federal lawmakers from Bayelsa to join him in the APC.
LEADERSHIP Weekend had earlier reported that most lawmakers, led by former governor and now senator, Seriake Dickson, and Hon Fred Agbedi, had turned down the governor’s overtures, unlike what happened in Delta and Akwa Ibom where they all followed the governor into the APC.
Sources say a cold war between Diri and Dickson has further deepened the cracks within Bayelsa PDP.
At the heart of the rift is the Bayelsa West zoning arrangement, an unwritten rule that rotates the senatorial seat between Sagbama and Ekeremor LGAs.
With Dickson is seeking a second term in 2027, Diri’s camp is reportedly opposing the move and backing another aspirant.
“There is clearly a brewing crisis between Dickson and Diri over the Sagbama/Ekeremor zoning arrangement.
“Some in Diri’s camp, especially from Sagbama and Ekeremor, are working against Dickson’s return,” a party leader from Sagbama told LEADERSHIP Weekend.
I Have No Plan to Join APC – Suswam
Meanwhile, Sen Gabriel Suswam, two-time former governor of Benue State, has denied he has plans to defect to the APC.
In a statement on Friday in Makurdi by his media aide, Mr Bede Bartholomew, Suswam debunked reports linking his attendance at a state banquet to a planned defection.
“Moments ago, I received telephone calls from well-meaning Benue people and leaders, alerting me to trending news on social media purporting that former Governor Suswam has defected to the APC.
“Some even alleged that he would be received by Governor Alia at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Makurdi.
“I debunk this unholy rumour with all vehemence. It does not represent the current interests of Suswam or his supporters across the state.”
He clarified that the governor had invited him —alongside other stakeholders—to a state banquet slated for 10 October 2025, with no political motive implied.
“There was no indication in the invitation that it was a political event or a decamping ceremony whatsoever,” he stated, as he urged supporters to disregard the rumour.
“The report is baseless, aimless, and a lie from the deepest pit of hell,” he said.
