National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr Bolaji Abdullahi, has accused five governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of secretly defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) purely out of fear and self-preservation rather than any ideological conviction.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Thursday, the former Minister of Youth and Sports Development named the affected governors as Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Pastor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, Dr Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and Douye Diri of Bayelsa State.“They have left the PDP.
They are now in the APC, but they are doing it quietly because they know the legal and political consequences of an open declaration,” Abdullahi alleged.
He insisted that the governors did not join the APC because they suddenly believed in the party’s manifesto or Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, but because they were afraid of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, afraid of probes, and afraid of the consequences of remaining in opposition in Nigeria today.
Abdullahi claimed the APC-led federal government is deliberately decimating opposition structures ahead of the 2027 general elections by using every instrument of state power to intimidate, harass and compromise governors, lawmakers and party leaders.
“By 2027, if care is not taken, Nigeria will effectively become a one-party state. What we are witnessing is the systematic dismantling of any platform that can challenge the ruling party,” he warned.
According to the ADC spokesman, the five governors are already working underground for the APC while still holding on to their PDP membership cards to avoid immediate vacation of their seats under Nigeria’s constitutional provisions against defection.
The allegation has triggered widespread outrage and debate across social media, with many Nigerians decrying the continuing erosion of opposition politics.
Some commentators, however, accused Abdullahi of hypocrisy, noting that the ADC has itself warmly received defectors from both the PDP and APC in recent months without similar moral scrutiny.
As of Friday morning, none of the named governors had issued any official response to the allegations.
Spokespersons for the PDP national secretariat and the APC National Working Committee also declined to comment when contacted.
Political observers say that, if confirmed, the development would represent the largest single exodus of sitting governors from the main opposition party since the 2014–2015 wave that paved the way for the APC’s takeover of power at the centre.
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