Ahead of the 2027 general elections, at least three to four governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are set to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and support the re-election bid of President Bola Tinubu.
News Band gathered that the defection is in response to political rumblings in Northern states, which are threatening to withdraw support for Mr. Tinubu who has been accused of running a nepotistic government.
Recall that the Governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Mr. Umo Eno last Friday, at a public event, declared support for President Tinubu, adding that in his state, there’s no more party politics as they are all in a “unity party” of PDP and APC.
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.
According to THISDAY Newspaper, with Eno’s open support for Tinubu’s reelection, the entire machinery of the PDP in the state will be drafted 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 soften 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.
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 also reported that President Tinubu had 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 the paper 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 leading 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 eagle eye of the anti-graft 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.
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.
THISDAY also reported 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.
Though, the PDP Governors moved ahead with the court action, he was said to have told his colleagues pointblank that he would not be a party to any move that could jeopardise his four years mandate.
THISDAY further reported that it was not a mere coincidence that the three governors were absent at the recent meeting of the PDP governors held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Delta and Akwa Ibom states’ Governors sent their deputies to the meeting since they had begun a gradual withdrawal from the PDP, while Fubara did not send any representative.
On his part, Governor Mbah, who is known to be a friend of the presidency, is also weighing the options ahead of 2027.
The governor, a committed member of the PDP, is considering joining the APC to support Tinubu’s reelection and secure his second term or remaining in the PDP and work for Tinubu’s victory.