Over 500 APC members join NDC in Delta North, citing marginalisation and neglect as they pledge support for Peter Obi ahead of 2027
More than 500 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the nine local government areas of Delta North Senatorial District joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Agbor, Delta State, on Monday, September 7, 2026, citing dissatisfaction with their treatment in the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Also read:Â Peter Obi Says Makinde Is Qualified to Be President
The high-profile defection took place in Ika South Local Government Area and brought together former APC leaders, community stakeholders and members of the Delta Coalition for Equity (DCFE).
The development represents a significant political boost for the NDC in Delta North, where the defectors said they would mobilise their supporters behind the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Delta State governorship candidate, Deacon Yovwaye Chris, in 2027.
Chief Alex Ikpeazu, former convener of the Delta Coalition for Equity, led the defectors into the NDC.
Ikpeazu said the decision followed what he described as years of marginalisation, deprivation and neglect suffered by the people of Delta North under the APC.
He also criticised politicians who moved from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, arguing that their presence had not translated into adequate representation or meaningful benefits for the senatorial district.
The move comes as political parties intensify grassroots organisation ahead of the 2027 elections, with defections increasingly shaping the contest for influence across Nigeria’s states and senatorial districts.
Receiving the new members, NDC Delta State Chairman Dr Oyidobo Richmond described their arrival as a significant addition to the party’s political strength.
Richmond urged the defectors to move quickly beyond the formal ceremony and begin mobilisation across their wards and local government areas.
He said the NDC would provide equal opportunities to members regardless of when they joined the party, while attributing the party’s growing appeal to Obi’s record in public office and what he described as his clean political profile.
The NDC’s Delta State governorship candidate, Deacon Yovwaye Chris, also welcomed the new members but urged them to respect the existing party structure.
Chris described the development as more than a conventional defection, portraying it as part of a broader political movement built around a shared objective ahead of 2027.
NDC Senatorial Chairman Hon. Harron Udaka similarly described the arrival as an important development for the party in Delta North.
Other party figures, including APC leader in Delta North Chief Steve Ikpade and Nacbeth Ojugbeli, coordinator of 100% Overdo, were also present at the event.
They encouraged the new members to work within the NDC’s established structures as the party seeks to expand its grassroots presence across the district.
The defection is particularly notable because the group reportedly cuts across all nine local government areas that make up Delta North Senatorial District.
The size and spread of the group could give the NDC an expanded network for ward-level mobilisation if the new members remain active within the party.
The development also adds another layer to the evolving political landscape surrounding Peter Obi.
Obi was ratified as the NDC’s presidential candidate on May 29, 2026, after leaving the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on May 2.
For the APC, the movement represents an unwelcome development as the 2027 electoral contest begins to take shape.
However, the political significance of the defection will ultimately depend on whether the former APC members translate their new allegiance into sustained grassroots organisation and electoral support.
For the NDC, meanwhile, the immediate task is to turn Monday’s high-profile welcome into lasting political structures across Delta North.
Also read:Â Peter Obi Says Makinde Is Qualified to Be President
With the 2027 elections approaching, the movement in Agbor offers a powerful indication of how alliances and party loyalties could continue to shift as Nigeria’s political parties compete for grassroots influence.
