Oborevwori Absent as APC Governors Meet to Welcome New Members

Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori was notably absent on Saturday night when the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) met in Abuja to welcome new entrants into the All Progressives Congress (APC). Oborevwori, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, did not attend the gathering despite his recent move.

Oborevwori, who won the 2023 governorship election under the PDP, formally announced his defection earlier this week. Along with his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, and other PDP leaders in Delta State, he pledged to merge their political structures into the APC, describing the ruling party as a better platform for the state’s future.

Among those present at the meeting were Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North; Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo; former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege; APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka; and former Delta State governorship candidate Great Ogboru, alongside other National Assembly members. The meeting was held at the Imo Governors’ Lodge in Abuja.

The wave of defections from the PDP to the APC has sparked widespread debate among political observers and citizens. Many view the high-profile defections, particularly that of Okowa—a former PDP vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections—as a major setback for the opposition’s efforts to reclaim power in 2027.

Despite the recent developments, PDP leaders including Bode George, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have downplayed the impact, expressing confidence that the party will rebound ahead of the next elections. Speaking on Channels Television’s *Politics Today*, George criticized the APC’s governance record, insisting that the PDP remains the preferred choice for many Nigerians.

“The people of Delta are naturally PDP members. They know the kind of positive impact they enjoyed under the PDP national government,” George said. “Those who left have always found their way back eventually.”