The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has effectively lost its decades-long grip on Nigeria’s South-South region ahead of the 2027 general election.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has effectively lost its decades-long grip on Nigeria’s South-South region ahead of the 2027 general election. Once dominant in all six states, the PDP now retains only Bayelsa, as governors in Delta and Akwa Ibom — Sheriff Oborevwori and Pastor Umo Eno — recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara, after months of political strife, is expected to follow suit under pressure from President Tinubu and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. APC now controls Cross River, Edo, Delta, and Akwa Ibom, with Rivers leaning in and Bayelsa under intense pressure. Delta’s shift was orchestrated by Oborevwori and his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, while Akwa Ibom’s move was guided by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. In Bayelsa, Governor Douye Diri denies defection plans but faces pressure amid regional realignments. The PDP’s internal crisis is cited as a major cause of the party’s diminishing influence.