Full List: Seven Sitting Governors Who Defected from PDP to APC

By
Vicky MTB
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On Wednesday, April 23, 2025, Delta Governor Sheriff Oborevwori made headlines by officially defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Over the years, several sitting governors have made the same shift, further altering the political landscape. Here are seven governors who made the move from PDP to APC while still in office.

The following are seven sitting Governors who defected from PDP to APC:

  1. Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta State)
    • Oborevwori’s defection to the APC on April 23, 2025, surprised many and marks a major political shift in Delta State, a core PDP stronghold since 1999.
  2. Dave Umahi (Ebonyi State)
    • Umahi defected to the APC in November 2020 during his second term as governor, citing the marginalization of the Southeast by the PDP and praising the APC’s infrastructure development under President Buhari.
  3. Ben Ayade (Cross River State)
    • Governor Ayade left the PDP for the APC in May 2021, explaining that his decision was driven by a desire to align with the federal government and attract more development projects to Cross River State.
  4. Bello Matawalle (Zamfara State)
    • Matawalle made the move to APC in June 2021, following political instability in Zamfara. His defection was seen as a strategic move to maintain political control and stability.
  5. Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto State)
    • Tambuwal initially defected from PDP to APC ahead of the 2015 elections, returned to the PDP in 2018, and was later linked with a possible return to APC, reflecting his dynamic political positioning.
  6. Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto State)
    • Wamakko joined the APC in 2014 during his tenure as governor. His defection played a crucial role in shaping the APC’s victory in the 2015 general elections.
  7. Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara State)
    • Ahmed, governor from 2011 to 2019, defected to the APC in 2014 alongside Bukola Saraki during the famous “political tsunami” in Kwara. Though he later returned to the PDP, his defection had a significant impact on the state’s political landscape during his tenure.

Source: The Nation