Shettima welcomes Oborevwori, Okowa into APC as equal partners
Abdullateef Fowewe
In a landmark political event on Monday in Asaba, Vice President Kashim Shettima formally welcomed Delta State Governor Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and their supporters into the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking a significant realignment ahead of the 2027 elections.
As gathered in a statement on Monday by the Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications (Office of The Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima while addressing the new members, declared, “You are not guests in this house; you are now co-owners. This is now as much your party as it is ours.”
He described the occasion as a “testimony to the enduring promise” of the APC and underscored unity and collaboration within the party.
Shettima further stated, “The true measure of a political party lies not merely in the enthusiasm of its members, but in the conviction it inspires among those who once stood across from them.”
He welcomed the defectors “not as guests but as family and fellow architects of a better Nigeria,” highlighting the APC’s philosophy of dialogue and managing differences.
In his address, the National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje called the defection a “historic day” and a “political legacy,” praising President Bola Tinubu’s leadership for attracting credible leaders into the APC fold.
Governor Oborevwori described the move as “a movement, not a defection,” explaining that it was a collective decision by all stakeholders in Delta State motivated by the desire to align with President Tinubu’s vision and the “Renewed Hope Agenda.”
He assured there would be no factionalism in the Delta APC and confirmed that all PDP members in the state legislature and local government would follow suit.
Former Governor Okowa added,
“This decision is in the best interest of the state. We need to connect to the centre to gain more democratic dividends.”
He pledged support for President Tinubu and Governor Oborevwori.
The Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Governor Hope Uzodimma, in his remark commended the developmental strides in Delta State under Oborevwori and said,
“The state looks like an APC state—what we are known for is what he is already doing in Delta State.”
The event was attended by over 20 APC governors and prominent national leaders, signaling a major political shift in a state long dominated by the PDP since 1999.
This defection represents a strategic consolidation of APC’s influence in the South-South region and is viewed as a game-changer for Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of upcoming elections.
