The Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have intensified pressure on governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to defect.
Multiple sources informed Daily Sun that some of the opposition governors are in a fix due to the crisis in the PDP which many of them fear would jeopardise their chances of getting a successful second term. The pressure to defect comes as the PDP continues to grapple with the crises that have had legal consequences for it in the past.
Sources further disclose that PDP governors are concerned about the precedent set in Plateau State, where courts sacked PDP state assembly lawmakers and some National Assembly members due to unresolved internal party crises at the national level. The fear is that if the crisis persists, any candidate nominated by the PDP, including governors seeking re-election, risks having their election nullified by the courts.
Daily Sun learnt that despite the popularity of Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, he is facing an obstacle which is the resistance of his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel, who maintains firm control over the PDP’s political structure in the state.
Reliable sources within government circles told Daily Sun that Eno cannot move to the APC without Emmanuel’s approval as doing so would likely result in him losing the support of national and state Assembly members, including other critical stakeholders of the party.
“The only reason Akwa Ibom governor has not been able to move to the APC is because his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel has not given his approval. As of today, Udom firmly controls the PDP structure in Akwa Ibom therefore, if Eno leaves today without Udom’s consent, not a single member of the National and State Assembly will go with him. That is why he is buying time.”
The APC’s strategy appears focused on neutralising financially viable opposition states that could fund a presidential candidate in the 2027 elections. With Delta State already considered out of the way, securing Akwa Ibom would weaken the opposition’s capacity to mount a credible presidential challenge.
“APC is trying to muzzle all the viable opposition states such that by the time election comes, no state would be able to fund any opposition presidential candidate. In Akwa Ibom, the only obstacle is Udom Emmanuel but it is left to be seen how long he can withstand the pressure,” the source said.
In Osun State, Governor Ademola Adeleke has engaged in discussions about defecting to the APC but he is being actively blocked by APC stalwarts within Osun, especially the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola. Adeleke’s elder brother, Deji, has been involved in talks and they reportedly offered to deliver Osun State to President Bola Tinubu in 2027 in exchange for his support unlike in 2023 when Atiku Abubakar won the state, Daily Sun learnt.
However, sources revealed that APC stakeholders in Osun have expressed distrust over the Adeleke family’s promises due to a past breach of agreement and have told the presidency that it can win the state without needing the governor’s defection
Daily Sun’s source said during the PDP’s Sheriff/Makarfi faction crisis, Senator Iyiola Omisore, who was then in the legally recognised Sheriff faction, supported Adeleke who was in the Makarfi faction for a Senate seat. But Adeleke was said to have reneged on the agreement afterward, leading Omisore to leave for the SDP. This breach in agreement caused Omisore to withhold support from Adeleke in the 2018 gubernatorial rerun, which contributed to the APC’s victory.
It was also gathered that part of the presidency’s plan is to get all the South East states to join the APC. Governors like Hope Uzodimma have been at the forefront of putting pressure on Governors Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Alex Oti of Abia State and Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State to join the APC. Though Daily Sun gathered that the Enugu governor has not given a definite answer, Soludo is not inclined to joining the APC as he believes he can win on the platform of APGA.
For Zamfara State, Daily Sun learnt that the presidency has shown interest in getting the governor onboard. However, one of the issues is the resistance of the likes of Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawlale.
Asked recently if he was planning to move to the APC, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State simply said “for now, I remain in PDP.” (Daily Sun)
