Some leaders in Delta State who used to be in a political party called the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have now moved to another party called the All Progressives Congress (APC). They followed the current governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and the former governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who both decided to join the APC.
But there’s a problem.
Even though these leaders say they want to join the APC, many of them haven’t officially quit the PDP. Usually, before joining a new political party, people are expected to write a letter to say they have left the old one. Because they didn’t do this, some APC leaders in the communities are refusing to register them as new members.
This confused the APC’s membership registration process in Delta State, making it very slow and difficult. Some people didn’t know whether to join, while others were just waiting to see what would happen next.
To fix this, the APC leaders in Delta State, led by Elder Omeni Sobotie, told their members to stop asking for the resignation letters. They said everyone should be allowed to register and join the party freely.
Mr. Valentine Onojeghuo, the person who speaks for the APC in the state, told all local leaders to remove any rules that were slowing down the registration. He said it should be easy and smooth for people to join the party.
In one part of Delta called Ughelli North, the local APC chairman, Mr. Obakpororo Onoabedje, said they had started giving registration cards to local leaders, but many of the PDP members who want to join APC are not showing up. He said the process is going slowly because people are not sure if it’s the right move yet.
Meanwhile, many PDP members who did not follow the governors to the APC gathered in different towns over the weekend. They said they want to rebuild and keep the PDP strong. Elder Emmanuel Ogidi, a top PDP leader in the South-South region, is leading this effort. He said that in one month, a new PDP team will be ready to take charge in the state.
Back when the governor and his team officially joined the APC, he said, “This is not just a defection; this is a movement.” He explained that the decision was made after talking to many people and that they want to support President Tinubu’s government.
The governor said he doesn’t want Delta State to be left out anymore and wants the state to be part of the “Renewed Hope Agenda” at the national level. He believes moving to the APC is the best way to do that.
However, the PDP is not happy about this switch. The party said it might take the defectors to court. A leader in the PDP’s national office said they are preparing to ask the court to take away the seats of those who left the party. But as of now, no court case has started because the week ended with a public holiday and no further meetings.
In simple terms, some important leaders in Delta State have changed political teams, but not everyone is sure if they did it the right way. This has caused arguments, delays, and uncertainty about what will happen next.
