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Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Adolphus Wabara, has downplayed the recent wave of defections by key party figures in Delta State, describing it as “a blessing in disguise.”
Wabara, while speaking to journalists, said the defection of the party’s 2023 vice presidential candidate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and other PDP chieftains to the All Progressives Congress (APC) would not damage the PDP’s chances in the 2027 elections.
According to him, the APC will eventually face internal crises as the influx of new members will create friction with long-standing loyalists. “The PDP will laugh last,” Wabara said. “Those joining the APC will try to displace those who built the party, leading to an implosion that will benefit the PDP.”
He described the defections as normal in politics, attributing the moves to ambitions for second terms, fears over electoral outcomes, and political survival strategies. He also pointed out that a lack of trust in the electoral process under the current government had fueled the shift to the ruling party.
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Despite the setback, Wabara expressed confidence that the PDP would bounce back stronger, noting that Nigerians, who were suffering under the APC’s policies, would use their votes wisely in 2023. “The 2027 election will not be between parties but between APC and Nigerians determined to rescue their country,” he said.
Wabara mourned the late Ijaw leader, Pa Edwin Clark, suggesting that had he been alive, the mass defection of Ijaw PDP chieftains would have been prevented. He emphasised that while defections may weaken structures temporarily, the commitment of those who remain would rebuild the PDP into a winning force.
The former Senate President also accused President Bola Tinubu of attempting to turn Nigeria into a one-party state, warning that suppressing the opposition would endanger democracy. He urged PDP members nationwide not to be discouraged but to stay focused on rebuilding for the 2027 elections.
Wabara ended on a note of optimism, predicting that progressive forces across the political landscape would unite with the PDP to rescue Nigeria from what he called “political hijackers.”
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