2027: ‘Not surprising but a relief’ — Kano PDP on Governors Mbah and Diri defecting to APC

The Kano State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to the defections of Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah and Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri by describing them as less of a shock and more of a relief for the party.

Yusif Ado Kibiya, the Kano PDP chairman, in his comments, said that the defections were expected. He added that the move of the two governors would not carry significant electoral weight and would not determine election outcomes. He also accused the federal government of attempting to dismantle PDP’s strength and engineer a de facto one-party system.

According to Kibiya, those who left the party had been unreliable allies. He asserted that the party is more confident without them:

“We are glad they are gone … because you can’t deal with people with double-edged swords.”

When asked if the defections would weaken PDP’s chances ahead of elections, he replied:

“Is the governor the electorate? … We’ll make our case to the people. Let all the governors go to the APC. It will not decide the outcome.”

Wider Reaction and Context

In Enugu State, local PDP members have pledged to rebuild and reorganize following Mbah’s departure. Some have questioned whether defecting actually benefits the public or simply promotes personal ambition.

In Bayelsa, Governor Diri’s exit drew widespread attention. His defection came with the backing of some lawmakers, and it triggered responses from various political figures. Former Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, chided the defectors, saying they should commend him for “clearing the path” toward his own political direction and aligning with the APC.

Some analysts believe that these defections deal a serious blow to opposition strength in the South East and South South. The move by Mbah, especially, weakens PDP’s foothold in the Southeast and raises questions about the future prospects of opposition coalitions.

Others warn that the defections do not guarantee immediate victory for the APC, arguing that winning elections still depends on voter sentiment, campaign strategy, grassroots strength, and local issues