The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a new turn with the defection of Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba, Siminalayi Fubara and Governor Ademola Adeleke, who dumped the opposition party in the latest political move that has dominated the political commentary in Nigeria.
Governor Kefas joined Fubara of Rivers State, Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno; Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah; and his Bayelsa counterpart, Duoye Siri, all of whom defected from the opposition PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
On his part, Adeleke chose a different path by joining the Accord Party to pursue his second-term ambition.
With Fintiri’s defection, the PDP is now left with three governors. The APC has continued to receive governors, lawmakers, and others into the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The APC officially now has control of 30 out of the 36 states in Nigeria.
1. Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State
Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statewide broadcast on Friday, Fintiri said his cabinet and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have moved with him to the APC.
The announcement lays to rest speculation on the governor’s plan to defect to the ruling party.
Recall that the APC had shelved its planned state congresses in Adamawa to accommodate Governor Fintiri and his political structure.
The move was widely interpreted as a concession to ease his entry into the ruling party without internal resistance.
Earlier in the week, 15 lawmakers of the Adamawa state house of assembly, including Bathiya Wesley, speaker of the house, and Buba Jijiwa, his deputy, resigned from the PDP.
The shelving of the congresses had sparked murmurs within APC ranks, with party loyalists questioning whether internal democratic processes were being sacrificed to pave the way for a high-profile defection.
2. Governor Agbu Kefas
Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba has officially registered as a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kefas, who received his membership card on Sunday, December 14, 2025, expressed appreciation for the warm welcome from APC party executives and members across the state.
“I received my All Progressives Congress (APC) membership card from Hon. Umaru Tanko, the Chairman of the APC Hospital Ward in Wukari LGA,” Kefas said in an X post.
“I appreciate the warm welcome from the executives and members of the APC in Taraba state.”
It was learnt that the registration occurred at the government house in Jalingo, with prominent political figures in attendance, including John Bonzena, speaker of the state house of assembly, Abel Diah, a former speaker, and Danladi Baido, an APC member.
Speaking shortly after receiving his party card, Kefas said the move was in the “interest of governance and party unity in the state”.
He added that while a grand defection ceremony, originally scheduled for November, will be announced later, the registration allows him to fully participate in APC activities.
Kefas’ defection marks a major political shift in Taraba, where all governors have been members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since the return of democracy in 1999.
His defection, originally scheduled for November 19, was suspended in honour of members of the armed forces and citizens recently killed in terrorist attacks.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State on December 9 defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He announced this at a stakeholders meeting at the government house in Port Harcourt. ‘
The governor said, “We can’t support President (Tinubu) if we don’t fully identify with him, not just backyard support. Our decision this evening is that we are moving to the APC.”
His move comes after sixteen members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, dumped the PDP and defected to the All Progressives Congress.
4. Governor Adeleke
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, also joined the list of governors who resigned from the PDP.
A statement released by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, revealed that the governor submitted his resignation on November 4, 2025, in a letter addressed to the PDP Chairman of Ward 2, Sagba Abogunde, in Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State.
The governor stated that he decided to leave the party due to the ongoing crisis within the national leadership of the PDP.
“Due to the current crisis within the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I hereby resign my membership of the PDP with immediate effect,” he wrote.
Adeleke thanked the party for the opportunity it gave him to serve as a senator representing Osun West and later as governor of Osun State.
Adeleke later announced his move to the Accord Party.
5. Governor Douye Diri
Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State dumped the PDP on October 15 2025.
Diri announced this at the exco chamber in the Bayelsa State Government House, but did not state the political party that he will be moving to.
His decision was backed by 23 members of the House of Assembly, led by the Speaker. Diri’s defection came 24 hours after his Enugu State counterpart, Peter Mbah, dumped the party for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He was also the Principal Secretary to then Governor Seriake Dickson, his predecessor. Diri was elected as a member of the House of Representatives in 2015 under the PDP, and in 2019, he was elected as a Senator for Bayelsa Central.
He became governor of Bayelsa in 2020 and was re-elected under the PDP in 2023. However, Diri was officially received into the ruling party on November 3 by Kashim Shettima, the vice-president, at a rally in Yenagoa, the state capital.
The event drew a large crowd of supporters and top political figures across the South-South geopolitical zone.
Nentawe Yilwatda, APC national chairman, presented the party’s flag to Diri, declaring him the new leader of the APC in the state.
“Bayelsa state has spoken. Today, Bayelsa state is APC,” Yilwatda said.
“Bayelsa state is too critical for us to leave it in the hands of the PDP. The roads have been constructed. We saw it. We saw the fishes in the fish farms. We saw agriculture booming. We saw trading. We saw everything doing good.
“Therefore, Governor Diri is welcome to the family of the APC. I now give him this flag as the leader of the party in the state.
“He takes over as the leader of APC in Bayelsa State. And anything concerning Bayelsa State, the National Working Committee will contact Governor Diri.
“I will hold him responsible for APC in the state. Today, you take over as a leader of our party in Bayelsa state. Welcome, our leader in Bayelsa.
“Take this broom as a symbol of our party. Sweep out PDP, and ensure that the votes are swept in. In 2027, sweep in all the votes for APC.”
Speaking after receiving the flag, Diri said his defection represents a collective decision by the Ijaw people.
“On the 15th, I announced my resignation from the People’s Democratic Party, and I ended up by saying, for obvious reasons,” Diri said.
“Now, today, you will hear some of those obvious reasons. Your Excellency, the Vice President, here you see, it’s not just Bayelsans alone.
“There are Ijaws from Delta State in their numbers who are here. There are Ijaws from Ondo State in their numbers here. There are Ijaws from Edo State in their numbers here.
“This defection is not a Bayelsa defection. It is the Ijaw nation defecting to the APC.”
6. Peter Mbah
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State officially dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The governor announced his defection in a televised address on October 14, 2025.
He said, “Today, after a long reflection, we have made the decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party and join the All Progressives Congress.”
According to Mbah, his decision to join the APC was informed by the need to reshape Enugu and reorganise the politics of the state.
“Today, I stand before you to announce a break from the past and to share a decision that will shape the road ahead. This concerns our values, how we organize ourselves politically, and how we secure the future of our project and our people.
“Leadership sometimes demands painful decisions in the service of higher principles and goals. And there comes a time, when everyone must make a bold choice to determine their destiny.”
7. Governor Sheriff Oborevwori
Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori also dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing long-term development and stakeholder consultations.
The governor made this announcement after a high-level, closed-door meeting held at the Government House in Asaba, the state capital, on Wednesday, April 23, 2024.
Oborevwori, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election under the PDP platform, was received by top APC chieftains in what is now being described as a strategic political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
8. Governor Umo Eno
“Having completed the rounds of my consultations as your servant, I have therefore decided to progressivesly moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC),” the governor said at a press conference in Uyo, the state capital, on Friday.
“We are not joining the APC from a position of weakness, we are joining the APC from a position of strength,” he added.
According to the governor, he decided to join the APC to fully support the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu.
Eno’s defection occurred some six weeks after his Delta State counterpart, Sheriff Oborevwori, left the PDP for the APC.
Do you think that the PDP is dead as a political party? Why do you think governors are defecting to the APC? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
