Politics
PDP governors panic as APC woos first-term governors with 2027 ticket
DDM News

The ongoing leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is posing a serious threat to the re-election chances of the party’s eight first-term governors ahead of the 2027 elections.
Governors affected by the crisis include Agbu Kefas (Taraba), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Ime Eno (Akwa Ibom), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara).
Investigations by Diaspora digital media (DDM) reveal that other political parties, particularly the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), are taking advantage of the internal conflicts in the PDP to lure some of these governors into their fold.
While some of these political maneuvers are being carried out in secret, the APC in Plateau State has openly called on Governor Mutfwang to defect.
The Plateau APC leadership recently wrote to national party leaders, informing them of ongoing efforts to convince Mutfwang to join the APC.
In a bid to make the offer more enticing, they have proposed an automatic waiver for him to secure the party’s 2027 governorship ticket should he switch allegiance.
Similarly, within Enugu State, concerns are growing among PDP stakeholders over Governor Mbah’s increasing closeness to President Bola Tinubu, raising speculation about his possible defection.
Sources suggest that these governors are being urged to abandon the PDP, as its deepening internal strife could threaten their chances of securing re-election.
While some governors remain undecided, a few are reportedly reconsidering their continued membership in the party amid the ongoing turmoil.
Alarmed by the potential loss of key figures, the PDP Governors Forum (PDP-GF) is moving swiftly to prevent defections.
The Forum, led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, has scheduled an emergency meeting in Asaba, Delta State, on Friday, January 31.
Although the agenda of the meeting has not been publicly disclosed, sources within the PDP indicate that the main concern is the looming possibility of losing several first-term governors to the APC.
Senior members of the Forum and other key party leaders worry that continued divisions at the national level could provide a constitutional basis for governors to defect.
At the heart of the PDP crisis is the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, whose refusal to vacate office is exacerbating tensions within the party.
Damagum, from Yobe State in the Northeast, assumed office in March 2023 after the removal of former National Chairman Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
His appointment was meant to be temporary until a substantive chairman from the North Central zone was elected.
However, repeated attempts by PDP stakeholders to remove him have been met with resistance, as he continues to receive backing from influential allies.
Adding to the internal strife is an intense power struggle over the position of the party’s National Secretary.
The situation reached a boiling point during a recent PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting at the party’s national secretariat, where disagreements escalated into physical altercations.
Two members of the National Working Committee (NWC), Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye, are both claiming the seat.
These multiple leadership disputes have significantly weakened the PDP at the national level, with no immediate resolution in sight.
Efforts to convene the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to address these pressing issues have been repeatedly stalled by entrenched interests within the party.
As the crisis deepens, the fate of the PDP’s first-term governors remains uncertain, with the APC strategically positioning itself to capitalize on the turmoil.
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