Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Amb Iliya Damagum, has downplayed the massive defection the party suffered in Delta State where Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and his predecessor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, led all the structure of the party to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
PDP had ruled the state since the return to Democracy in 1999 until Wednesday this week and usually boasts that “Delta State is PDP and PDP is Delta State”.
But reacting to the development at the party headquarters during the presentation of a certificate of return to its governorship candidate in the forthcoming Anambra State election, Damagum expressed surprise at the development but said he was happy that no reason given by the defectors indicted the party. He argued that PDP has given every support imaginable to the state since 1999, saying the party has no choice but to leave its “fate in the hands of God”.
“We believe he will help us out of this great situation.”
He then argued that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, who left PDP in the 2023 presidential election without any governor behind him still garnered millions of votes.
He said the party remained resilient and battle-ready ahead of 2027 despite the setback.
“If there’s any state that should not have taken this path, it’s Delta. We gave them everything, support for the governor, and even the former governor, who was our vice presidential candidate in 2023. We least expected this action from them.
“This is a party that has seen more than this and is still standing. Let me remind us all – Peter Obi had no governor behind him in 2023, but he still garnered millions of votes,” he said.
“The 2027 election is not about how many governors or so-called leaders a party has. It’s about President Tinubu and the condition of Nigerians. This election will be APC versus Nigerians.”
He warned that while defections may be secured through coercion or persuasion, the ordinary Nigerian, feeling the brunt of current economic policies, would ultimately decide the outcome.
“Policies are not made for governors or senators. They are made for the people – and today, the people are suffering. This hardship is not a coincidence; it’s a design. Nigerians will rise to rescue themselves.”
He added that, “Policies are meant for people, no one else because you make policy and it’s not for the ordinary people.
“We will experience a lot of challenges but there is no challenge that is insurmountable. I thank God we are all people of faith.
“We know there is a limit to whatever one can do other than what God has designed. You may have your own tactics where you cannot outplay God. We leave our faith in the hands of God and we believe He will help us out of this great situation.”
