PDP declares legal war on Okowa, Oborevwori over defection to APC

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Moves to court, appoints Ogidi to lead fresh structure in Delta...



PDP NWC dumps Anyanwu, endorses Koshoedo as Acting National Sec...

Okowa backs Tinubu for 2027, blasts opposition coalition as ‘structureless’Following the surprise defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) of Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, former Vice Presidential candidate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and the entire Delta PDP leadership structure, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has resolved to drag them to court.Addressing journalists after the party’s first National Working Committee (NWC) meeting of the year in Abuja, the PDP’s Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, declared the party’s readiness to initiate legal proceedings against all defectors, describing their departure as a breach of electoral trust.“We are taking this matter up legally to reclaim our mandate,” Damagum said pointedly, adding that “those who defected were originally elected under the PDP platform.

”The PDP has directed its National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, to immediately commence court action against the political defectors.The legal strategy is aimed at reclaiming party mandates and enforcing internal democratic accountability.In response to the sudden leadership vacuum created in the state, the NWC has appointed Emma Ogidi as South-South Caretaker Chairman and mandated him to take full control of PDP affairs in Delta.

Ogidi has also been charged with leading the process of rebuilding the party structure.“The zonal committee was directed to proceed to Delta State to assess the party’s assets and begin the process of recovering them,” Damagum stated during the press briefing, signaling a zero-tolerance stance on the handling of party resources.The internal crisis reached a boiling point after a closed-door meeting in Asaba on April 23 led to the mass defection of Governor Oborevwori, Senator Okowa, Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme, all state commissioners, local government chairmen, and influential grassroots mobilizers to the APC.

Meanwhile, the PDP has fixed May 27 for its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to deliberate on the evolving situation, finalise legal steps, and evaluate the recommendations made by party governors on the position of the National Secretary.“The National Working Committee (NWC) reviewed the recommendations from PDP state governors and agreed to forward the matter to the National Executive Committee (NEC) for a final decision,” Damagum confirmed.Also, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has approved the recommendation of the PDP Governors’ Forum for the Deputy National Secretary, Architect Setonji Koshoedo, to assume the role of Acting National Secretary of the party.

Furthermore, in a political twist that may redefine Nigeria’s 2027 electoral landscape, former Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has declared that ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar is on the verge of quitting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing internal disarray and strategic inertia within the main opposition party.Speaking on a live broadcast interview with ARISE Television on Tuesday, Okowa confirmed that both he and incumbent Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, alongside other top political figures in the state, have officially joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) after months of consultations and what he described as “deep political soul-searching.

”“I discussed the coalition with Atiku, who is on his way out of the PDP, before we moved to the APC. It was not just a decision of the governor or myself. It was the consensus of a broader political family in Delta.

”Okowa revealed.The former governor cited unresolved legal wrangling, disunity, and lack of electoral vision as factors that ultimately undermined confidence in the PDP’s capacity to mount a credible presidential challenge in 2027.Okowa, who was the vice-presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2023 general election, distanced himself from the proposed grand opposition coalition reportedly led by Atiku, describing it as lacking “clarity, structure, and urgency.

”“It does not seem that a viable vehicle has been confirmed for that coalition, nor does it appear that a coalition could build strength in such a short period,” he stated, warning that the coalition might collapse under its own weight before it finds its feet.Okowa openly endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term, stating that Nigeria’s political stability demands an uninterrupted eight-year tenure.“For the stability of this nation, it is best for us to have him complete his eight-year tenure.

Then the presidency can move back to the North. I believe that is the right thing,” he asserted.Okowa also emphasised the practical benefits of aligning with federal power, lamenting the developmental constraints he experienced during his tenure as governor under an opposition platform.

“We tried to do our best in the state. We could not lay our hands on a lot of things that would have benefited us at the federal level,” stressing the need to “reconnect Delta State with the corridors of power in Abuja.”When asked about the criticism from former Senate President Bukola Saraki over his defection, Okowa dismissed it bluntly.

“Saraki has no moral right to speak. He has jumped parties several times,” he said.The post PDP declares legal war on Okowa, Oborevwori over defection to APC appeared first on Nigerian NewsDirect.

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