Former Abia State governor and senator Theodore Ahamefule Orji has officially left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), a move expected to shift political dynamics in the state.
Orji, who governed Abia State from 2007 to 2015 and later represented Abia Central in the National Assembly until 2023, made the formal announcement of his defection on Monday, January 5, 2026.
He had previously indicated a step back from active politics but remained a PDP member until the move.
The announcement was confirmed by Orji’s media aide, Mr. Ifeanyi Umere, who said the decision was personal, with no further explanation provided for the timing.
Political observers note that the defection follows a similar switch by his son, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji, former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, who joined the APC in late 2025 amid internal disputes in the PDP.
Many analysts view the younger Orji’s move as a likely precursor to his father’s eventual defection.
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Orji’s departure is seen as a setback for the PDP in Abia, where he has long held strong grassroots influence.
APC leaders have welcomed his arrival, highlighting his experience and network as strategic assets to strengthen the party’s position in the state.
The move comes amid a wider trend of defections from the PDP to the APC in various states ahead of the 2027 general elections, signaling potential realignments in the South East’s political landscape.