Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, has suffered a major political setback after losing two key governors, leaving it with control of only eight states nationwide.
Enugu’s Peter Mbah and Bayelsa’s Douye Diri both dumped the PDP for the ruling All Progressives Congress within 24 hours this week, in what analysts describe as a severe blow to the opposition’s structure ahead of the 2027 elections.
Mbah, who joined the APC on Tuesday, October 14, in Enugu, blamed his defection on the PDP’s “internal crisis” and said aligning with the federal government would better serve his state. He was received by APC leaders who described his move as a “homecoming.”
Barely a day later, on Wednesday, October 15,Diri announced his exit in Yenagoa, citing “obvious reasons” linked to the PDP’s ongoing turmoil. His departure followed months of speculation about growing rifts within the party.
Reacting to the development on Tuesday, PDP Chieftain, Chief Bode George, expressed deep disappointment but maintained that the party remains focused on rebuilding.
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The defections continue a troubling pattern for the PDP, which began 2025 with 11 governors but has now lost three this year alone, including Delta’s Sheriff Oborevwori in April.
Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi Governor, Bala Mohammed, had described the wave of defections as alarming but said efforts were underway to restore unity before the party’s November convention in Ibadan.
The PDP now controls only eight states: Adamawa, Bauchi, Plateau, Taraba, Zamfara, Oyo, Rivers, and Osun.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party holds Abia under Alex Otti, APGA governs Anambra through Charles Soludo, and NNPP maintains Kano under Abba Kabir Yusuf, collectively managing just three states.
Former Senate President Adolphus Wabara condemned the wave of defections as part of an APC “one-party game plan,” warning that Nigeria’s democracy risks losing its balance of power as the ruling party now dominates 24 states.