Delta Assembly Speaker, 21 Lawmakers Dump PDP For APC

No fewer than twenty-two members of the Delta State House of Assembly, including the Speaker, Rt Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, have formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The mass defection was officially announced during plenary on Tuesday, marking one of the most significant political realignments in the state’s recent legislative history.

Speaker Guwor, who presided over the session, informed the House that he had received individual letters from 22 lawmakers, including himself, notifying the House of their decision to abandon the PDP and align with the APC.

The letters were read aloud to the chamber as required by legislative protocol.

According to the defectors, their decision was driven by mounting dissatisfaction with the internal affairs of the PDP.

Specifically, they cited persistent instability in the party’s national leadership and a protracted factional crisis within the South-South zonal executive of the party.

“The current disarray within the PDP’s national structure and the unresolved crisis in our zone have made it increasingly difficult for us to effectively serve our constituents under the PDP platform,” Speaker Guwor stated during plenary.

The development has sent ripples through Delta State’s political landscape, where the PDP has traditionally held strong influence.

With this defection, the APC now commands a significant presence in the state legislature, potentially altering the balance of power and political dynamics ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Political observers have begun speculating about the broader implications of this move, particularly whether it signals a larger wave of defections from the PDP in the South-South region and beyond.

As of the time of this report, the PDP leadership in Delta State has yet to issue an official statement regarding the mass defection.