The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) suffered a major blow on Tuesday as 28 lawmakers from Delta State — including six federal lawmakers and 22 state legislators — officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made during a plenary session of the House of Representatives, where Speaker Tajudeen Abbas read out the formal letters of defection. Among those who defected are key figures such as Victor Nwokolo (Ika North East/Ika South), Julius Pondi (Burutu), Thomas Ereyitomi (Warri Federal Constituency), and Nicholas Mutu, who has served in the National Assembly since 1999.
Others include Ukodhiko Jonathan (Isoko North/Isoko South) and Ezechi Nnamdi (Ndokwa/Ukwuani).
The defection wave also hit the Delta State House of Assembly, where 22 members — including Speaker Emomotimi Guwor — dumped the PDP for the APC. This follows the recent switch of both Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and former Governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to the APC, deepening the shift in Delta’s political landscape.
The defectors blamed internal wrangling, leadership struggles, and lack of direction within their former parties — mainly the PDP and the Labour Party (LP) — for their decision. They claimed these issues made it difficult to deliver on campaign promises.
In addition to the Delta lawmakers, two LP legislators from Enugu — Obetta Chidi and Dennis Agbo — also left their party to join the PDP.
This trend of defections is not new. In recent months, lawmakers across several states have switched allegiance, largely to the APC. Between October 2024 and March 2025, over a dozen lawmakers, including those from Abia, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kebbi, Niger, and Anambra, moved to the ruling party, strengthening its majority in the National Assembly.
The APC now holds a stronger grip on legislative power, while the PDP continues to battle internal divisions and declining influence in several states.
