Who Will Save PDP?

The exodus has begun—quietly at first, like a trickle down a cracked wall. But now, with defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flowing faster than a Jabi downpour in July, one begins to wonder: Who will save Nigeria’s oldest surviving opposition party?

In just a few weeks, PDP has watched its house lose bricks. There was Oluwole Oke, a six-term House of Representatives veteran from Osun State. There is Sheriff Oborevwori, Governor of Delta State, who peeled off his party colours and crossed into APC’s increasingly broad tent, all in the name of “development.” In Jigawa, 216 grassroots members, plus a smattering of community leaders, slipped away during a forum meant for citizen engagement but that doubled as a quiet coronation for APC’s growing dominance.

Some defections are still half-whispered: Akwa Ibom’s Governor Umo Eno flirts with political polygamy, speaking of a “unity party.” Enugu’s Peter Mbah and Rivers’ beleaguered Siminalayi Fubara eye the exit but hesitate, possibly waiting for the right breeze to carry them across.

Asked about a pattern, analysts argue that this is no ideological awakening. It’s the old Nigerian choreography: proximity to federal power, strategic repositioning, and an ever-ticking electoral clock ahead of 2027. The defections are less about dissatisfaction and more about calculations. And the math is simple: President Bola Tinubu is in Aso Rock, and nobody wants to be on the wrong side of patronage.

Should PDP be worried? Absolutely. The party isn’t bleeding, it’s haemorrhaging. This isn’t the first time Nigeria has seen political migration (see 2014’s gale of defections), but the frequency and high profile of the current departures suggest more than discontent. It suggests irrelevance.

Can PDP stop the drift? Possibly—but it must first decide if it wants to be a party of legacy or a living, breathing political force. That means leadership coherence, ideological clarity, and offering not just criticism of APC, but a vision Nigerians can believe in.

Until then, the defections will continue.