JUST IN; Another PDP Governor preparing to dump party for APC

JUST IN; Another PDP Governor preparing to dump party for APC

Barring a sudden reversal, Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas is widely expected to become the next Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor to cross over to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This move if completed would mark a significant political shift in the North under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The governor’s rumoured defection has intensified in recent weeks, following the high-profile switch of Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah to the APC on Tuesday.

Sources say the groundwork for Kefas’ exit from the PDP is already underway.

Close allies of the Taraba governor have reportedly launched consultations across the state, while a youth coalition staged a demonstration in Jalingo, calling on Kefas to align with the ruling party.

Adding further weight to the speculation, the governor is said to have constituted a political advisory committee, co-chaired by former Senator Dahiru Bako, to sound out public sentiment.

Speaking during one of such engagement, Bako stated, “The governor will not make any political move without hearing from the people and carrying them along. That is why we are meeting with them.”

The APC in Taraba has signaled its readiness to welcome Kefas.

However, the prospect of his defection reportedly along with several PDP lawmakers and appointees is causing unease within the state chapter of the APC.

Some stakeholders worry that the influx could complicate their own ambitions ahead of the 2027 general elections, especially in terms of party ticket access.

Meanwhile, similar defections could be on the horizon elsewhere. Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri and Zamfara’s Governor Dauda Lawal are both reportedly weighing their options, although Lawal has publicly denied plans to leave the PDP.

For Diri, the PDP’s only second-term governor, the tension over party structure in Bayelsa, especially with a rival faction backed by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, has made his position more precarious.

With Wike-aligned governors like Cross River’s Bassey Otu and Akwa Ibom’s Umo Eno already in APC ranks, and Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara reportedly considering a similar move, Diri may find his space within the PDP increasingly limited.

Attempts by Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to defect to the APC earlier this year reportedly failed after resistance from entrenched party stakeholders who feared he would seek to dominate the party’s local machinery.

Observers see these defections especially from the South South and South East as part of a broader strategy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to solidify his influence across southern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 election cycle. Though some of his reforms have sparked dissatisfaction, Tinubu appears to be consolidating political alliances.

Currently, the APC governs three of five South East states, Imo, Ebonyi, and now Enugu.

In Anambra, where APGA holds sway, Governor Charles Soludo has already endorsed Tinubu for re-election.

In Abia, under Labour Party’s Alex Otti, the administration is considered friendly toward the presidency.

The South South tells a similar story. The APC now controls Edo, Delta, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom, leaving only Bayelsa and Rivers under nominal PDP leadership.

In Rivers, Wike, widely seen as the political kingmaker, has publicly committed to delivering the state for Tinubu again in 2027, as he did in 2023.

In the South West, Tinubu’s traditional stronghold, the APC governs four of six states, Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti, and Ondo.

Osun’s Adeleke, despite being PDP, has already thrown his weight behind the president.

Meanwhile, Oyo State’s Seyi Makinde, another PDP governor who supported Tinubu in 2023 — is reportedly eyeing the party’s presidential ticket for 2027.

Should Kefas follow through on his rumoured defection, he would become the first opposition governor in the North to join the APC under Tinubu.

That development could trigger further movement in other northern states, particularly in Kano, where NNPP Governor Abba Yusuf is said to be reevaluating his position.