{"id":231911,"date":"2025-07-06T02:47:19","date_gmt":"2025-07-06T02:47:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abianewscentral.com.ng\/how-tinubu-apc-systematically-subdued-pdp-in-south%e2%80%91south-governors-surrender-to-power-play\/"},"modified":"2025-07-06T02:47:19","modified_gmt":"2025-07-06T02:47:19","slug":"how-tinubu-apc-systematically-subdued-pdp-in-south%e2%80%91south-governors-surrender-to-power-play","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/how-tinubu-apc-systematically-subdued-pdp-in-south%e2%80%91south-governors-surrender-to-power-play\/","title":{"rendered":"How Tinubu &amp; APC Systematically Subdued PDP in South\u2011South \u2013 Governors Surrender to Power Play"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>How Tinubu &amp; APC Systematically Subdued PDP in South\u2011South \u2013 Governors Surrender to Power Play<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<h4 data-start=\"4533\" data-end=\"4737\"><em>South\u2011South, long PDP\u2019s stronghold, is now dominated by APC through shocking governors\u2019 defections. The full story behind the mass political shift. Read full now.<\/em><\/h4>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Biafran Matter : Exclusive Interview with Gen. Yakubu Gowon GCFR former the head of state of Nigeria\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hH-3_qz32r0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"kvezio kvezio-clearfix kvezio-post-inline kvezio-float-center kvezio-align-center kvezio-column-1\">\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How Governor Alex Otti Is Transforming Abia\u2019s Economy \u2013 Chief Nwaobilor Speaks Out\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QnEsD0LfBHI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em><strong>\u2026. From oil-rich Delta to strategic Rivers, APC\u2019s takeover of the PDP stronghold exposes internal rot and political betrayal ahead of 2027<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In a dramatic shift that will send tremors through Nigeria\u2019s political landscape, the <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_South\">South\u2011South<\/a>, once a formidable bulwark of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since 1999, has fallen under the heavy influence of President Bola Tinubu\u2019s All Progressives Congress (APC). Strategic defections by key governors have left the PDP gasping for survival in its own territory.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Once the uncontested ruler of all six South\u2011South states, the PDP\u2019s grip began to loosen in 2008 when Comrade Adams Oshiomhole hijacked Edo State for the APC. A brief comeback by Godwin Obaseki failed to hold, and by 2024, Edo and Cross River were firmly in APC hands, while Delta, Rivers, Akwa\u2011Ibom, and Bayelsa teetered on the edge.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>On April 28, 2025, Delta Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, a PDP stalwart, stunned the nation by defecting to the APC \u2014 handing over Asaba and the entire state without a single ballot cast. The move, reportedly brokered through \u201cmonths of undisclosed consultations\u201d with Tinubu, was rationalized by PDP\u2019s national crisis. But insiders call it a calculated capitulation that left the PDP rudderless in an oil-rich powerhouse. Major party figures, including Ifeanyi Okowa and former governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, have since aligned with the APC.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>On June 6, 2025, Governor Umo Eno of Akwa\u2011Ibom defected to the APC, ushering in dominance for Senate President Godswill Akpabio. What was once a fragmented APC base vanished overnight as Eno and Akpabio solidified power. Critics warn this fa\u00e7ade of unity could fracture once 2027 politics heat up \u2014 the promised mutual leadership may unravel into a power struggle.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, suspended since March amidst a feud with godfather Nyesom Wike, is set for reinstatement after a truce brokered by Tinubu. Under the terms, he is expected to\u2014and may be forced to\u2014join the APC. His suspension under military rule and pending crossover signals a near-certain collapse of PDP control in the state.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Cross River was first lost in 2021 when Gov. Benedict Ayade defected, installing APC\u2019s Bassey Otu by 2023. Edo had already shifted in 2008 under Oshiomhole, then briefly flipped with Obaseki before reverting to APC in 2024. What was once a brief detour has now become permanent.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"kvezio kvezio-clearfix kvezio-post-middle kvezio-float-center kvezio-align-center kvezio-column-1\">\n<div id=\"kvezio-178990-2123208997\" class=\"kvezio-container kvezio-type-image \" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/WPAdBlock\" data-adid=\"178990\" data-type=\"image\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" itemprop=\"url\" class=\"kvezio-link\" href=\"https:\/\/afnews.sumofunnel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Specil-Edition-of-Gov.-Alex-Otti-One-Year-In-Office-2024.pdf\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"kvezio-image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/afnews.sumofunnel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/cover-1-scaled.jpg?w=1170&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"news paper\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Bayelsa remains the lone PDP territory\u2014but its fate looks sealed. Visits by Delta\u2019s Oborevwori and Okowa to Governor Douye Diri have sparked speculation of talks pushing him toward crossing over. The lure of federal projects\u2014like the Nembe\u2011Brass road\u2014backs those whispers. Still, Diri claims any decision will involve the people, not whisper campaigns.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Key Takeaways<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Issue\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Implication<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>PDP\u2019s Fealty Broken\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Governors surrendered authority through deals, not votes.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>APC Power Consolidation\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tinubu\u2019s strategy: local manipulation of governors to dominate.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Internal PDP Rot\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0National crisis and internal divisions left PDP unprepared.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>2027 Power Race\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0South\u2011South now APC territory \u2014 PDP faces uphill battle.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Summary:<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Tinubu\u2019s APC has claimed not just territory but engineered a political transformation across Nigeria\u2019s key oil region without elections\u2014only strategic defections. With four states now securely APC, Rivers poised to fall, and Bayelsa on the brink, the PDP has gone from dominance to desperation. Its failure to coordinate and retain loyalty among governors has called into question its viability in the next presidential election.<\/p>\n<p><h3 class=\"jp-relatedposts-headline\"><em>Related<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p><!-- CONTENT END 1 -->\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/afnews.ng\/how-tinubu-apc-systematically-subdued-pdp-in-south\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How Tinubu &amp; APC Systematically Subdued PDP in South\u2011South \u2013 Governors Surrender to Power Play South\u2011South, long PDP\u2019s stronghold, is now dominated by APC through shocking governors\u2019 defections. The full story behind the mass political shift. Read full now. \u00a0 \u2026. From oil-rich Delta to strategic Rivers, APC\u2019s takeover of the PDP stronghold exposes internal [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":231912,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-231911","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231911","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=231911"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231911\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=231911"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=231911"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=231911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}