Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s defection into the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a political tsunami, Vice President Kashim Shettima has said.
He spoke in Asaba yesterday while receiving Oborevwori, his predecessor Ifeanyi Okowa and the entire Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structure into the APC.
Shettima said the new chieftains have become co-owners of the party and not guests, stressing that they are giants of national politics.
The Vice President and APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje presented the flags and brooms, symbols of the party, to Oborevwori and Okowa, at the Cenotaph, venue of the carnival-like rally in Asaba, the state capital.
No fewer than 15 APC governors, three ministers and senators joined party leaders and the VP to receive new members.
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“What can be greater than the promise of this day? This is a political tsunami of an unimaginable proportion that has never happened in the history of the Southsouth sub-region, and barely in the history of this country,” said Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the historic event.
He added: “A political tsunami of this proportion has never happened where all the members of the upper chamber of the National Assembly are in the APC.
“The Speaker and all the members of the House of Assembly. So many members of the House of Representatives, the governor and his entire cabinet and 500 councillors across the 25 local government areas of this great state. What testimony do you have greater than this?
“The true measure of a political party lies not merely in the industry, the very name of its members, but in the conviction.”
The Vice President also pronounced Oborevwori as the state party leader, saying: “Now that you have come, we are all co-owners because according to the constitution of the party, the governor of the party is the leader of the party in the state. This is now as much as your party as it is ours.
“You have brought to us a wealth of experience, a breath of wisdom and a measure of strength for which we shall always remain grateful.
“This is a declaration that the strength of our great nation is alive, a spirit that brings your personal ambition, your party alliance and sees the larger set of history.”
Shettima paid tribute to Okowa, the 2023 running mate to PDP candidate Atiku Abubakar, hailing the wonderful relationship that exists between him and his successor.
He said: “Senator Okowa, you are indeed a great leader, and Governor Oborevwori, for embracing him, for treating him with respect and decorum, you are even a greater leader.
“We are here with our unshaken belief in the power of collaboration, the understanding that we are stronger together than we can ever be apart.
“What sets the APC apart is not an illusion of uniformity, it is our acceptance that differences are inevitable and that greatness lies in managing them.
“Our tables have always been tables of dialogue, places where every member, no matter how big or small, is welcome to air their grievances.”
It’s a movement, says Oborevwori
Oborevwori, who spoke after receiving the APC flag, described the defection as a “movement,” borne out of unity and collective action.
He said: “Delta cannot carry last. We have been in opposition for almost 10 years. Mr President has supported us; he has shown us love.
“We cannot face him in 2027 to work against him. That love that he has shown us in Delta state, we need to reciprocate it. We cannot do it in our old party; you have to be inside to do it and to do it well.”
Oborevwori said members of the National Assembly from Delta have agreed to defect on the floor at their next resumption.
He said all the structures of the Delta PDP would move to the APC in the coming days, adding that members of the state executive council, advisers, council chairmen, 500 councillors, ward chairmen, and local government party chairmen are all part of the movement.
Oborevwori stressed: “All of our members in the National Assembly, at the next resumption, have agreed to defect on the floor of the House. Mr Speaker is here, heaven will not fall.
“There is nothing wrong, it is normal. I was a lawmaker, a presiding officer. We have a lot of problems, we have reasoned and have justification to move.”
Why we defected, by Okowa
Okowa said the decision to defect was taken in the best interest of Deltans.
He said there was a need to connect with Abuja and be a beneficiary of the resources for which Delta is a “large contributor”.
Okowa said the decision to defect was “patriotic, strategic and well-intentioned”, stressing that it was done after consultation with stakeholders of the party.
He added: “There is always a time to take a path for the common good of the people.
“And whatever decision that we took was based on that common good and the need to change our path in the best interest of the state.
“There’s a need to connect to Abuja, that goodwill that is in Abuja, that resource in Abuja for which Delta is a large contributor, there is the need to connect to it.”
Okowa urged those who earlier defected from the PDP to the APC to embrace new members and work with “oneness of heart.”
He said it was time to work together and give support to President Tinubu and Oborevwori “to dominate the politics of Delta State”.
Okowa stressed: “It is time for us to embrace each other; our brothers that are already in APC and those of us that have come into the family, we need to embrace each other and work with the oneness of heart.”
Ganduje applauds synergy
Ganduje, who expressed delight at the courageous move, applauded the cordial relationship between Oborevwori and Okowa.
He said the APC National Working Committee (NWC) was highly impressed by the absence of the predecessor/successor crisis, which is rare.
Ganduje said: “We have to thank Dr. Okowa for that good relationship.
“Ladies and gentlemen, my job is very important which is accepting, welcoming and also, embracing the governor and the people of Delta State into our great party, the APC.
“Mr. Governor, what l would like to tell you while accepting you into our party, is that our core value in APC is progressive leadership and coincidentally, from what we have seen on the ground in respect of your programmes and your projects, you are a progressive governor.
“So, we are welcoming you for coming home. We believe in progressive ideas, we believe in proximity, interacting with different levels of our party.
“We believe in openness, we believe in internal democracy, we believe in self accountability and we thank you for coming in.”
Uzodinma: it is historic
Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum/Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma said the ceremony was quite historic and special in the life of the APC.
He believes the defectors mean well for Delta and the country.
He said: “We are here to identify with you. We, therefore, urge all Deltans to continue to support their governor as he consolidates on the achievements his administration had recorded so far.”
Otu: defections driven by Tinubu’s performance
Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu attributed the gale of defections into the APC to the performance of President Tinubu.
He said in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nsa Gill, that Oborevwori’s defection was a thoughtful and courageous response to the growing aspirations for a better Delta State, a more prosperous Niger Delta, and a stronger Nigeria.
He emphasised that Cross River, which for years stood as the lone APC state in the Southsouth, was happy to share the progressive banner with Delta and Edo states.
He said the defection marked a new dawn of political realignment in the region.
Otu added: “An increasing number of Southsouth states under APC governance is a dream realised.”
He said President Tinubu’s transformational leadership had inspired trust, value reorientation, infrastructural rebirth, and economic rejuvenation across the nation.
Otu said the mass defection has set the stage for deeper regional collaboration, accelerated economic development, and greater political stability.
The governor, who is Vice Chairman of the Southsouth Governors’ Forum, urged Oborevwori, other political stalwarts, and their supporters to bring their wealth of experience and grassroots mobilisation strength to bear in advancing the collective quest for a flourishing Southsouth and a renewed Nigeria.
Governors at the ceremony were AbdulRahman-AbdulRazaq (Kwara State), Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Bassey Otu (Cross River), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Uba Sani (Kaduna), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Usman Ododo (Kogi), and Francis Nwifuru(Ebonyi).
Also at the rally were Senator Adams Oshiomole; Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh; Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, and former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege.
Delta Senators Ned Nwoko, Ede Dafinone and Joel-Onowakpo Thomas; members of the House of Representatives; members of the State House of Assembly led by the Speaker Emomotimi Guwor; Council chairmen; Uche Ekwenife, Director General, South East Forum, were present.
Party officers who witnessed the event were Deputy National Chairman (South) Emma Eneukwu; National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru; National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka; Deputy National Secretary, Festus Faunter; National Legal Adviser, Prof. AbdulKarim Kana; National Welfare Secretary, Donatus Nwankpa; National Vice Chairman (NorthCentral), Muazu Rijau; National Vice Chairman (SouthEast), Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu; National Women Leader, Dr. Mary Alile; National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel; Leader of People With Disabilities, Tolu Bankole; Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Duro Meseko and former member of House of Representatives from Kano, Faruk Lawan.
The Nation
