South-East Governors, Peter Mbah and Douye Diri Dump PDP for APC in Major Political Realignment

Emmanuel Femi Adedayo Posted on 2 months ago 2 min read

In a stunning political development, two prominent South-South and South-East governors, Peter Mbah of Enugu State and Douye Diri of Bayelsa State have officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking one of the most significant shifts in Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the next election cycle.

Governor Peter Mbah announced his decision during a state-wide broadcast on Tuesday, where he emphasized that the move was driven by the need to align Enugu State with the central government led by the APC.

“There comes always a time when everyone must make a bold choice to determine their destiny. Today, after long reflection, we have made a decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party and join the All Progressives Congress,” Mbah declared.

He expressed appreciation to the PDP for years of support but maintained that joining the APC was a strategic decision to enhance development and strengthen federal collaboration in Enugu State.

In Bayelsa State, Governor Douye Diri, alongside 23 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, also resigned from the PDP, signaling a massive shake-up within the opposition party’s ranks in the Niger Delta region. Details of Diri’s formal declaration are expected to be made public in the coming days.

The latest wave of defections follows earlier movements by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State and Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, who, along with their cabinet members and political appointees, crossed over to the ruling party earlier this year.

Political analysts describe this trend as a calculated effort by regional leaders to secure closer ties with the federal government and position their states advantageously for national projects and political influence.

With these defections, the APC’s footprint in the South-South and South-East zones continues to expand, while the PDP faces deepening internal fractures that could reshape the balance of power ahead of the 2027 general elections.