Delta State Governor Sheriff O borevwori has collapsed the entire structure of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Strongly with him in the move were the immediate past governor and former vice-presidential candidate of PDP, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, and a former senator that represented Delta South Senatorial District for 16 years, Chief James Manager, and other major stakeholders in the state PDP family.

His Commissioners, hundreds of political appointees, elected officers, his deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, House of Assembly members, local government chairmen, PDP leaders and thousands of supporters and well-wishers besieged the meeting to declare their standpoint.

In attendance were members of the National Assembly, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Emomotimi Guwor, top government functionaries, and party officials. The defection has put to rest the highly debunked speculated reports that the governor would not defect.

Also, it has laid to rest the 26-year-old grip of PDP over the oil-rich state. Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, supported by Manager, after an enlarged PDP stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House, Asaba, yesterday said Vice President Kashim Shettima and other APC bigwigs will receive the governor and his retinue of supporters coming on Monday, next week.

The governor was said to have been under intense pressure since last year from other governors and friends in APC to defect and join them.

The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, his counterpart in Lagos, Chief Babajide Sanwo-Olu and a northern governor who attended the marriage of his son with Uzodimma last year.

Meanwhile, the move has unsettled the structure of the APC chapter in the state. A top PDP chieftain after the meeting expressed joy, saying: “This news brings me great hope.

It’s time for the northern hegemony to end. A unified front among the southern states and the Middle Belt could help put an end to the manipulative tactics of the North.

By fuelling crises in the North and Middle Belt, some are trying to undermine President Bola Tinubu’s ability to tackle insecurity.”

The chieftain said the bold step by Oborevwori would propel other governors in the South-South to consider the interest of the southern Nigeria.

The governor has directed all PDP stakeholders in the state to join the All Progressives Congress where they would be received at a rally by Vice President, Kashim Shettima at the Cenotaph, Asaba, on Monday.

Briefing journalists Aniagwu said the decision became necessary following the unfortunate happenings at the national level of the party.

His words: “For some time now the media, particularly the social media, have been awash as to what political decisions that we are going to be taking in Delta.

“While that was on, the governor and the leaders of the party have been very busy carrying out some necessary consultations, and it is also part of that consultation that has resulted in this meeting today for the leaders of the PDP to be able advise as to what necessary steps that needed to be taken.

“It is said that when the taste of the palm wine changes, the drinking pattern also changes. And the leaders of the party were unanimous in their view that the political temperature has changed.

“And there was a need for change that will help cement the development in our state; to build the bond of love that has existed in our state and to further advance the security and welfare of our people.

“Like you know, every politics is local. So in taking this decision, we came to the inevitable conclusion that moving out of the PDP is very necessary for us to collaborate with our kit and kin and build that bond that we have been enjoying.

“We believe that what is happening in the PDP at the national can be likened to that palm wine whose taste has changed and that is why this decision has been taken. “By the grace of God, on Monday next week, we would be able to make a bold statement that we are moving to the APC.”

Manager, the pioneer chairman of PDP in the state said the decision was taken in consultation with various stakeholders across the state. “You have just been told about some of the things that have been happening in the PDP Delta State. Some consultations have been going on and the climax of these consultations is what you are seeing today.

“We have discussed and have disagreed to agree, and it is a unanimous agreement. I am the pioneer state chairman of the PDP. But you cannot be in a boat that is already capsizing because I am a riverine man.

“Looking at issues the way they are, we have come to the inevitable conclusion to do something else. It is a collective decision for so many reasons.