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.

ALSO READ: 40 lawmakers, 2 governors about to dump PDP – Lawmaker raises alarm

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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ALSO READ: Anybody’s free to leave – Atiku breaks silence after Delta PDP defects to APC

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has urged the people of the South-East to back President Bola Tinubu for a second term in office, saying he deserves a re-election in 2027.

Kalu argued that Tinubu has done enough to earn another four-year term in office due to his transformative strides in economic, social, and political reforms in the last two years.

He made this known while receiving members of the Tinubu Mandate Support Group (TMSG) and Club 17 Initiative during courtesy visits in Umuahia, Abia state capital.

He described Tinubu as a good product to sell for a second term, appealing to Igbos to invest their votes in the former Lagos State Governor during the 2027 presidential election.

ALSO READ: Obi, Kwankwaso worked for Tinubu — activist Adeyanju sparks coalition storm

“That was a good motivation, thank you. You’re the partners we’ve been waiting for. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a good product to be sold for a second term,” Kalu was quoted in a statement by his media aide, Udora Orizu.

“I believed in him a long time ago, but he first believed in me and started assisting me before I met him. I was one of those who went to meet him and beg him to run for president.

“I will continue to stand by him. He’s a progressive Nigerian who wants to leave a legacy. God blessed him; he came to make a good shift in the way the nation is built. He loves and is intentional about the country. He’s doing a lot that has never been done.

“Our business is to tell the people the good work of President Tinubu’s agenda. Igbos should come together. Let’s give President Bola Ahmed Tinubu all the support that he needs.

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“We should invest our votes where there’s progress, and that’s Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It’s on his mandate that we’re going to stand as Ndi Igbo. He came and started giving us relevance, bringing us closer.”

For his part, TMSG Chairman Armstrong Okoronkwo assured the Deputy Speaker that the group would work to ensure Tinubu’s re-election.

ALSO READ: I’m not surprised – Dele Momodu reacts to defections from PDP to APC, cautions Tinubu

“We are happy to associate with you; our focus is to go from house to house to tell them about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Tell them what he’s doing for South East and for Abia State in particular,” Okoronkwo said.

“The wisdom of choosing you as the deputy speaker has brightened our chances politically. We need your support to kickstart the campaign for Tinubu.”

Former militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, has called on northern political leaders to back President Bola Tinubu’s reelection bid in 2027.

Tompolo, who recently declared his support for Tinubu’s second term, described the President as a good leader with the experience needed to move Nigeria to greater heights. He appealed during an interview with Arise Television, amid growing opposition led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku, alongside former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and other northern leaders, is reportedly pushing for a coalition aimed at defeating Tinubu and the ruling party in the upcoming election.

However, Tompolo urged the North to give Tinubu the same opportunity former President Muhammadu Buhari enjoyed by allowing him to complete eight years in office. He vowed to personally visit northern states to drum up support for the President’s reelection.

ALSO READ: ‘Invest your votes in Tinubu in 2027’ – Deputy Speaker Kalu appeals to Igbos

“We will do our part, even go out of our boundary to the northern part of Nigeria to talk to our brothers so that he will get his second tenure. Tinubu is a good person; he has the experience to bring this country to a higher level,” Tompolo said.

“I am travelling across all the northern states to appeal to them. Buhari spent eight years. We must allow Tinubu to complete his eight years too. There is no need for anybody to say we have a monopoly of power. By the grace of God, everybody will support us.”

Tompolo also revealed that traditional rulers in Delta State have already endorsed Tinubu for another term.

ALSO READ: Tinubu saved Nigeria’s economy from collapse – Senator Yayi

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