Chief Bode George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has expressed profound shock and condemnation following the reported defection of Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
George vehemently declared that any attempt to transform Nigeria into a one-party state would ultimately fail.
The defection, which sent ripples through the political landscape of Delta State, is seen by many as a significant blow to the PDP, a party that has held sway in the South-South region since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
Ripples Nigeria reports that Oborevwori, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Senator James Manager and other major stakeholders in the state, announced their defection from the PDP to the APC on Wednesday.
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Reacting to the development on Wednesday, George stated, “I am shell-shocked. How can our governors, from an organised party, defect to an unorganised party such as APC, with only two people, Tinubu and Ganduje, dictatorially controlling the party?”
He further urged the people of Delta State to remain loyal to the PDP, emphasizing the party’s historical significance in the region. “APC is a party of strange bed-fellows and I urge Deltans not to follow Oborevwori to APC because Delta is a PDP state from 1999 and it shall remain so.”
George went on to accuse the presidency and the APC of employing coercive tactics to sway PDP governors. “Presidency and APC are using instruments of state to coerce PDP governors to defect to APC. They are being threatened. PDP sponsored Oborevwori as governorship candidate, so he has to leave office.”
He concluded by warning against the perceived ambition of the APC to establish a one-party state. “Attempts to turn Nigeria to a one-party state will fail. What has APC done since 2015 that will warrant any PDP governor to defect to the party?”
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