2027 General Elections: Oborevwori, Okowa, Anyim, and Others, The Place Of Opposition Amid High-Profile Defections

Nigeria’s political scene seem to be shaking as a major wave of defections from opposition parties to the ruling APC has left the opposition struggling to hold ground.

Governors, senators, and political heavyweights are leaving in large numbers,

In one of the biggest moves, Delta State’s entire PDP team, led by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, reportedly switched to the APC on Wednesday, 23rd April. They joined other defectors like former Senate President Pius Anyim and Senator Kawu Sumaila.

As the 2027 elections approach, these moves raise a big question, Is this the end of strong competition, or can the opposition still fight back?

That’s the question on many lips.

People Who Have Defected

The APC is now attracting many major players from opposition parties, Reports show a major defection from Delta State’s PDP in April 2025, Governor Oborevwori and former Governor Okowa led the move, bringing along the PDP state chairman, House speaker, and several local government leaders, This ended PDP’s 25-year dominance in the state.

This was not the first major blow, In July 2024, Pius Anyim, a former Senate President and longtime PDP leader, officially joined the APC, He was introduced to President Tinubu by Imo Governor Hope Uzodinma, Anyim said he made the move to help fix national issues, dealing a hard hit to PDP’s strength in the Southeast. Emeka Ihedioha, former Imo governor and ex-Deputy Speaker, also left the PDP, blaming internal problems.

In the North, Kawu Sumaila, a senator from Kano South under the NNPP, defected in 2024 along with two House members, Ali Madaki and Alhassan Rurum. Sumaila said the APC would better meet the needs of his people,

Several members of the House of Representatives also switched parties, including Tochukwu Okere, Donatus Mathew, Bassey Akiba, Iyawu Esosa from the Labour Party, and Erthiatake Ibori-Suenu from the PDP. PDP members like Abubakar Gumi and ADC’s Salman Idris also joined the APC, strengthening its majority in the House.

Other defectors include Muktar Ramalan Yero, former Kaduna governor, and Sylvanus Ngele, former PDP senator from Ebonyi,

A report from Punch revealed that more than 300 PDP members defected between February 2023 and 2024, blaming internal crises and APC’s strong control at the federal level.

How Leaders Are Reacting to the Defections

The defections have triggered strong reactions across the political scene.

APC leaders celebrated the new arrivals as proof of Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” plan gaining ground.

APC’s National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka called the Delta defections a major win for development, while former Delta Speaker Victor Ochei described it as a “big wave” that would bring more federal support.

APC’s National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje welcomed defectors like Sumaila and hinted that more politicians would soon follow, confidently declaring victory for 2027.

However, opposition leaders were deeply worried. Former vice president and PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar said while everyone has the right to switch parties, the 2027 elections would be about “Nigerians standing up against suffering caused by the current government. ,” He also criticized PDP members who secretly worked with the APC while attacking his own efforts to build a coalition.

Timothy Osadolor, PDP’s Deputy National Youth Leader, said the defections were driven by selfish interests and fear of corruption investigations.

NNPP’s spokesman, Ladipo Johnson, warned that Nigeria’s democracy was weakening and called for legal changes to stop easy defections.

Political analyst Morris Monye argued that these moves shows APC’s fear of losing, not their strength.

Meanwhile, APC’s Joe Igbokwe warned that the Southeast must unite or face political exclusion, while APC spokesman Bala Ibrahim dismissed complaints, saying that freedom to choose parties is a constitutional right.

On social media, reactions are mixed. Some users celebrated APC’s gains, predicting an easy win in 2027, while others lamented the loss of strong opposition voices, fearing it would hurt democracy.

What This Means for the 2027 Elections

The flood of defections clearly strengthens the APC’s position for 2027,

Losing Delta State, a PDP stronghold, and big names like Okowa is a huge blow, The NNPP is also weakening in Kano after losing Senator Sumaila and others, while internal fights have divided the party badly,

The Labour Party, once hopeful after the 2023 elections, is now struggling with poor structure and the loss of four lawmakers,

The PDP looks the weakest, battling heavy infighting and leadership struggles.

Polls show that many Nigerians do not trust political parties anymore, and with the very low voter turnout in 2023, defections could make things worse, making voters more disengaged. This will likely benefit the APC, which controls more government resources.

However, the opposition still has a chance, Atiku’s new coalition is working to bring PDP, NNPP, and LP together. Their hope lies in rising public anger over inflation, job losses, and economic hardship, which could drive voters back to the opposition, But without unity and a strong plan, the opposition risks falling apart before the elections.

The APC, although stronger, also faces risks, Over-relying on defectors, many of whom are seen as opportunists, could weaken public trust. Tinubu’s government has also faced sharp criticism for economic policies and rising hardship.

If voters believe democracy is slipping away, a strong, united opposition could still pull a surprise win.

The Broader Democratic Stakes

The ongoing defections have raised fears that Nigeria could slide into one-party rule. Experts like Professor Hassan Saliu say democracy still exists but warn that massive defections damage party loyalty and public trust,

Timothy Osadolor, PDD deputy national youth leader, describes it as democracy becoming “hollow,” where politicians chase personal gains instead of serving the people.

Nigeria’s laws currently make it too easy for politicians to switch sides without punishment, making the situation worse,

If the trend continues, the APC could control even more federal power, security, and institutions, limiting political competition.

Civil society groups have warned that unchecked defections could hollow out Nigeria’s democracy even further.

Still, there is a glimmer of hope, If Atiku’s coalition succeeds and growing public frustration continues, the opposition could still stage a strong challenge, Stronger laws to control defections could also help rebuild trust in political parties.

Nigeria’s 2015 elections show that a united and focused opposition can defeat even a strong ruling party.

Nigeria’s opposition stands at a critical point, The defections of Oborevwori, Okowa, Anyim, Sumaila, and others have given the APC a big advantage heading into 2027, But the fight is not over, As Atiku said, “The real enemy is not one another, it is the Tinubu administration’s abysmal failure,”.