Uwheru Leaders Dump PDP, Declare Mass Defection to APC – Prof. Muoboghare

By Akpovoke Otiti

Ughelli – Prof. Patrick Muoboghare has disclosed that the recent meeting of key PDP leaders in Uwheru was convened to find a political escape route for members stranded in what he described as the “sinking ship” of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He said dwindling resources and the collapse of the party’s political structure made it clear that PDP could no longer guarantee relevance or survival for its followers in the community.

He explained that the meeting, which lasted several hours, examined multiple political alternatives. Parties such as ADC, Labour Party, SDP and APGA were considered but dismissed for lacking viable structures, ideological consistency or statewide presence. According to him, politics remains about community benefits and governance impact, and none of those platforms offered Uwheru the needed grounding.

Prof. Muoboghare noted that with the governor, lawmakers, council chairmen and nearly all councillors in Delta State now aligned with the APC, it was futile to expect PDP defectors to return. He confessed that although he once predicted they would come back “like prodigal children,” he now accepts that the PDP structure has collapsed beyond repair. “The ship has taken in too much water; even the captain has abandoned it,” he said.

According to him, remaining in the PDP at this stage would amount to political wickedness against the people of Uwheru. He disclosed that stakeholders unanimously resolved to migrate to the APC en masse to reposition the community for development and stronger access to government. He expressed surprise that he was asked to lead the movement, saying, “I didn’t plan to join APC. My intention was to leave PDP and stay apolitical, but they insisted I must lead.”

He added that steps would immediately be taken to work out modalities for the formal defection of Uwheru people into the APC. Addressing concerns raised by some youths who felt betrayed by earlier unfulfilled promises from certain APC actors, he stressed that politics is dynamic and migration does not create senior or junior categories. “Ninety eight per cent of today’s APC members in Delta were originally PDP,” he said.

Prof. Muoboghare also pointed out the hypocrisy of those who once accused Uwheru leaders of anti party activities but have themselves now fully embraced the APC. He said their earlier attacks have become baseless in retrospect, noting that “they left for APC and didn’t see us there. Now they have eaten their words. But all that will be corrected.”

He cautioned that passing votes of confidence on the President or Governor should not become an everyday affair at political meetings. He argued that the APC should focus on supporting government policies through deliberate communication and strategic advocacy rather than issuing endless endorsements. He cited Nyesom Wike as an example of someone who consistently shapes political narratives, saying, “If anything, APC should give Wike an award for being the voice of this government.”

Prof. Muoboghare criticised the APC in Delta State for failing to take meaningful actions that could support governance, noting, for instance, that despite the signing of the anti – open grazing law by Governor Oborevwori, the party has not engaged the Commissioner of Police on enforcement. “All they do is hold meetings and issue endorsements. That is not how to help the government,” he said.

He also highlighted the long list of prominent politicians who abandoned the PDP over time, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki, Nasir El-Rufai, Aminu Tambuwal, senators, governors and council chairmen, saying the party had been deserted by its most influential figures. According to him, those who remained behind, including Wike, are now “shutting down what is left of the engine,” adding that Wike has positioned himself as the loudest voice defending the Tinubu administration.

Prof. Muoboghare commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as exceptional performance at the federal level, particularly in improving national security. He also praised Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for surpassing expectations in just two years in office, noting that road projects across Ughelli are early indicators of greater developments ahead for Uwheru. He urged politicians to stop wasting time offering empty praises at meetings, insisting that what the governor needs is honest feedback, not hollow endorsements. “The governor does not need endorsement from anyone. What he needs is guidance and the truth about community needs,” he said.