PDP Begins Purge of Disloyal Members in Preparation for 2027 General Elections.
As the race to 2027 heats up, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has launched an aggressive cleanup of its internal structures, starting with the South-South region, following a series of high-profile defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The party’s leadership says it is done tolerating internal sabotage and is ready to reposition ahead of the next general election.
Over the past few weeks, the PDP has suffered major blows, with three prominent political figures abandoning ship. On April 23, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, left the party after months of quiet talks with APC officials. The blow was followed by another setback when Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno defected over the weekend, taking several state officials along with him.
These exits, according to insiders, didn’t just hurt the party’s image, they disrupted its power base in the South-South, a region considered one of PDP’s traditional strongholds. The defectors’ loyalists still occupy sensitive positions at zonal and state levels, and the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) says that’s about to change.
Speaking under condition of anonymity, a member of the NWC told Sunday PUNCH that the party leadership has resolved to “clean house.” The plan, the source confirmed, involves a full-scale overhaul of South-South party structures to ensure only loyal and committed members remain in control.
“This will not be business as usual. We’ve allowed too much indiscipline in the name of unity. That era is over,” the NWC official stated. “Once leaders defect, their loyalists keep holding key positions and weakening the party from within. We’re shutting that door. No more free rides for opportunists.”
Legal battles are also in motion. The PDP has already filed court cases to challenge the defection of Governor Oborevwori and Okowa, and action against Governor Eno is expected to follow after the Sallah break.
The party’s response is as much about optics as it is about structure. Losing two sitting governors and a former heavyweight in less than three months has sparked concern among party faithful. Analysts warn that unless the PDP regains control of the narrative, more defections could follow.
But not everyone sees the defections as a complete loss. PDP Deputy National Youth Leader Timothy Osadolor says the exodus is a blessing in disguise. In his words, “Let them go. If you don’t believe in this party, find your way out. We’ll even escort you to the gate if needed.”
He called out the defectors as political merchants chasing personal gain over public service. Osadolor expressed particular disappointment in Umo Eno, noting that his background as a cleric raised hopes for integrity-driven governance. “What we got instead is a man obsessed with re-election,” he said. “We expected compassion and service. What we saw was ambition.”
Still, Osadolor remains optimistic. He believes the exit of disloyal members creates space for genuine reform. “Now we know who the real PDP people are,” he said. “We can rebuild without distractions. 2027 is still winnable if we focus.”
As 2027 approaches, the battle lines are being drawn, not just between parties, but within them. And for the PDP, that battle starts with getting its house in order.
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