•Some APC members who defected to the NDC in Delta North
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has recorded a major boost ahead of the 2027 general elections following the defection of more than 500 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across the nine local government areas of Delta North Senatorial District.
The defectors, comprising former party leaders, political stakeholders and members of the Delta Coalition for Equity (DCFE), said they had abandoned the APC because of what they described as dissatisfaction with the party and its treatment of the people of Delta North, reports The Guardian.
They pledged to mobilise their supporters and work for the electoral victory of the NDC, particularly its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the party’s Delta State governorship candidate, Deacon Yovwaye Chris, in the 2027 elections.
The development occurred today in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, where the defectors were formally received into the NDC by the state leadership of the party.
Receiving the new members, the NDC State Chairman, Dr. Oyidobo Richmond, described their arrival as a significant addition to the party’s growing political strength in Delta State.
Richmond urged the defectors to return to their respective wards and local government areas and immediately commence grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, the NDC remains committed to providing equal opportunities for all members, irrespective of when they joined the party.
“I want to welcome you to our great party; this is the party of victory. In NDC, we don’t discriminate. There are no old members; there are no new members. We are all equal, and that is why we shall win”.
Richmond said Obi’s record in public office and what he described as his clean political profile had continued to attract Nigerians to the NDC.
The defectors were led by the former Convener of the Delta Coalition for Equity, Chief Alex Ikpeazu, a philanthropist and community leader, who declared that the group was prepared to work towards the emergence of the NDC as the ruling political platform in Delta State.
Ikpeazu said the decision to leave the APC was driven by concerns over what he described as years of marginalisation, deprivation and neglect of Delta North.
He specifically accused politicians who moved from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC of failing to adequately address the concerns of the people of the senatorial district.
The NDC governorship candidate, Deacon Yovwaye Chris, welcomed the new members and expressed satisfaction with their decision to join the party.
Chris, however, urged the defectors to approach their new political home with humility and respect for the party’s existing structure.
He described their movement from the APC to the NDC not simply as “decamping” but as a broader political movement aimed at achieving a common objective.
“It’s not decamping; it’s a movement. We welcome you with open arms. We thank the DCFE for organising the party’s growth.”
Also speaking, the NDC Senatorial Chairman, Hon. Harron Udaka, welcomed the defectors and described their arrival as a significant political development for the party in Delta North.
The APC leader in Delta North, Chief Steve Ikpade, and the Coordinator of 100% Overdo, Nacbeth Ojugbeli, also welcomed the new members.
The leaders urged the defectors to remain humble and work within the established structure of the NDC to sustain the party’s growth.
