The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted with deep disappointment to the recent mass defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, along with several elected officials and party leaders, to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja during a ceremony to issue the Certificate of Return to the party’s Anambra governorship candidate, Mr. Jude Ezenwafor, the PDP Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, described the defections as a painful betrayal, particularly in light of the extensive support the party had given Delta State over the years.
“It is very sad and unfortunate because, to me, if there’s any state that should not think that way, it’s not Delta. The party was very magnanimous,” Damagum stated.
He noted that the defectors did not cite any wrongdoing by the party, which only added to the disappointment.
“I thank God that in their message, they didn’t say that the party did anything wrong to them other than good,” he added.
Damagum emphasized that the PDP had invested heavily in Delta, supporting both Governor Oborevwori and his predecessor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, who also served as the party’s vice presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections.
“We least expected this action from them. All the same, this is a party that has seen more than that, but it’s still standing,” he said.
The PDP chairman revealed that the party is already taking stock and would soon inaugurate a caretaker committee to rebuild its structure in Delta State.
“I want to use this opportunity to say we’ll take over our structures immediately,” Damagum said.
He stressed that the 2027 elections would not be determined by the number of governors in a party but by the will of Nigerians. Urging unity among party members, he called on them to work together to “rescue Nigeria,” asserting that “no challenge is insurmountable.”
Turning his attention to Anambra politics, Damagum congratulated Mr. Jude Ezenwafor on emerging as the PDP’s flagbearer in the upcoming governorship election.
“You have started well. From the evolution of the state executive to your emergence as our candidate. I think what you need to do is to go back and consolidate,” he advised.
He pledged the party’s full support for Ezenwafor, assuring him of national backing.
In his remarks, Ezenwafor expressed confidence in PDP’s chances in Anambra, describing the state as a traditional stronghold of the party.
“All of us contesting the governorship election in Anambra State today, including the serving governor, were once governorship aspirants within the PDP. But as a bridge-builder, I will consolidate and move forward,” he said.
The candidate, a former Senior Special Assistant on Security, also promised to prioritize the security of lives and property in the state.
Ezenwafor was accompanied at the ceremony by his wife, members of the PDP Anambra State Working Committee, and other campaign officials.
