2027: Atiku in trouble as 4 key PDP governors plotting to join APC

In a dramatic turn of events that could reshape Nigeria’s political landscape, the woes confronting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appear to be compounding.

A fresh report claimed that some governors from the PDP and other opposition parties were planning to cross over to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Sources claimed that several PDP governors from the southern region were losing confidence in the PDP and were purportedly considering a strategic move to the APC.

In a major realignment of political forces ahead of the 2027 general election, at least three to four governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are set to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and support the second term push of President Bola Tinubu.

As reported on Sunday, April 20, 2025, by ThisDay, the governors are considering supporting (officially) the alleged second-term push of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

This is in response to political rumblings in many northern states, which are threatening withdrawal of support for the incumbent President’s re-elections. Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State last Friday, at a public event, confirmed support for President Tinubu saying in his state, there’s no more party politics as they are all in a “unity party” of PDP and APC.

However, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State and the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, are weighing options of support for Tinubu’s second term whilst not changing or decamping from the opposition PDP.

With Governor Eno’s open support for Tinubu’s reelection, ThisDay gathered that the entire machinery of the PDP in the state will be deployed for APC’s victory and also to facilitate the return of the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio to the upper chamber as president in 2027.

The planned defection or realignment of more PDP governors, it was learnt, has brightened APC and Tinubu’s chances in the 2027 general election, especially with threats in the North to withdraw support.

Tinubu won 62 per cent of his votes in the 19 northern states in the 2023 presidential election.

According to ThisDay, investigation revealed that the defection talks with many PDP governors have reached advanced stages.

However, certain conditions are said to be attached to the proposed deals to make the deals a win-win for the negotiating parties.

THISDAY gathered that President Tinubu had also met with some APC senators as a prelude to the governors’ defections and informed them of the development.

A competent source privy to the negotiations told THISDAY that Governor Eno agreed to join the APC because he also feared his re-election might be truncated and wanted to secure it ahead of 2027.

It was also gathered that Akpabio is coordinating talks for his defection.

Uno was also said to be determined to use his defection to get the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), off the back of his benefactor and predecessor, Udom Emmanuel, who is currently under the watch of the agency.

To also prepare the minds of his colleague-governors in the PDP, Eno was alleged to have refused to host PDP governors in his state.

To reciprocate Eno’s endorsement of Tinubu, the Senate President, Akpabio, pledged to support the governor for a second term.

Akpabio, represented by the Chairperson of the National Assembly Service Commission, Saviour Enyiekere, gave the endorsement in his Goodwill message at a public lecture organised by the Faculty of Social Science, University of Uyo, on Tuesday.

Akpabio’s representative said: “Sir, for doing that (endorsing Tinubu), I am a member of the All Progressives Congress. I am speaking for the elders and to tell you we are also going to support you for a second term.”

“We will support you in whatever aspiration you have. Yesterday, you broke a record by being the first opposition governor to declare support for a second term bid of President Tinubu,” he added.

Akpabio had in January 2024, at a meeting of the APC leaders in Uyo, the state capital, said it was abnormal for him as Senate president not to have the APC produce the governor of his state in 2027.

Governor Oborevwori, it was learnt, is also weighing options on whether to remain in the PDP and back Tinubu’s reelection or quit the opposition party.

He is said to be waiting for the other party to sign its part of the deal for him to make a commitment.

The suspended governor Fubara is also weighing the options on whether to back Tinubu whilst retaining his membership of the PDP or defect to the APC.

The newspaper also gathered that Fubara’s initial plan to defect to the APC was frustrated by the political crisis that engulfed his state.

His plans to join the APC were believed to have been stalled largely due to President Tinubu’s displeasure with his handling of the political crisis in his state and partly by his estranged benefactor, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike’s effective grip on the APC structure in the state.

For the embattled governor, the decision to join the ruling APC was to secure his mandate against the subterranean moves by his political opponents to remove him from office or deny him a second term ticket.

He was said to have rejected the PDP governors’ resolution to challenge the state of emergency declared in his state in court due to his plan to reconcile with his political enemies and possibly defect to the APC.

The 4 governors who could reportedly join APC:

Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom state)

Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers state)

Peter Mbah (Enugu state)

Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta state)