Following the high-profile defections of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his deputy Sir Monday Onyeme, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and their allies from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), concerns have intensified over Nigeria’s slide toward a one-party state.
In an exclusive interview, Senator Chris Ekpenyong — a founding father of the PDP and former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State — warned that the party may never recover, claiming that President Bola Tinubu has effectively “captured” the PDP.
“Tinubu Has Killed PDP”
Reflecting on the defections, Ekpenyong said:
“It means Tinubu has killed the PDP. Akwa Ibom may follow soon. Atiku’s insistence on contesting again has fractured the party. The PDP is now destroyed, and I don’t know how they will rebuild it to challenge APC in the future.”
Mistakes of the Past
Ekpenyong blamed the party’s decline on early leadership mistakes, particularly the decision to hand over control to governors.
“The first mistake was allowing governors to dominate the PDP. Obasanjo seized the party structure, and the true founders like Alex Ekwueme and Sunday Awoniyi lost influence. Governors now control everything — and defect to protect themselves from the EFCC,” he said.
Decline Was Foreseen
According to Ekpenyong, the collapse was predictable once governors were allowed to control party affairs, unlike in the Second Republic when parties were people-driven.
“I joined the NPN without money and defeated an incumbent. Now, no ordinary person can thrive in today’s PDP,” he added.
More Defections Loom
Ekpenyong disclosed that he advised embattled Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara to visit Tinubu in France to survive politically, suggesting that more PDP governors might defect soon.
“Governors today are weak; they only seek survival and power. Even some Northern governors might join APC. Tinubu has neutralized the opposition,” he stated.
A Bleak Outlook
Ekpenyong criticized former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, saying his repeated presidential ambitions hurt the party’s ability to rebuild.
“After Yar’Adua’s death, PDP should have allowed a Northerner to continue to maintain balance. They didn’t — and that cost them dearly. Now, Tinubu controls the South, and the North has little choice,” he noted.
Ekpenyong concluded that the PDP, once the dominant political force in Nigeria, is now facing its political requiem.
“Only a people’s movement can create real opposition now. Otherwise, it’s over,” he warned.
