The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has said more state governors will defect to the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general election to strengthen President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid.
Yilwatda made this known on Tuesday during the 12th Expanded Stakeholders’ Meeting of the APC in Bayelsa State, where the party formally endorsed Tinubu as its sole presidential candidate for 2027.
Represented by the Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Emma Eneukwu, Yilwatda said Tinubu’s performance in governance was attracting governors, senators, and other key political figures from opposition parties.
“More governors and lawmakers are still on their way to our party because of the calibre, integrity, and achievements of the president. Our doors are wide open to accommodate those willing to join hands with us to move Nigeria forward.”
He cited the recent defections of Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, who both left the PDP for the APC, describing their move as a sign of the president’s growing influence.
Yilwatda urged party members in Bayelsa to remain united to ensure an overwhelming victory in 2027.
“Other parties may make noise, but when you have a lion, it does not bother about barking dogs—it focuses on its mission. That is what President Tinubu is doing: taking the bull by the horns where others lacked the political will,” he said.
He added that the South-South region had shown “political maturity” by aligning with the APC, noting that governors from the zone had “abandoned their old parties to support the president’s vision.”
“From the South-South to the South-East, leaders are making realistic decisions. They are leaving their parties to back the president because they have seen his determination to take Nigeria to greater heights,” he said.
