Some governors elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) appear to be working at cross purposes with the party’s expected direction in the 2027 presidential election, a scenario reminiscent of what played out in 2023 and that arguably contributed to the party’s electoral failure.

While many of these governors are rumoured to be building bridges with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) behind closed doors, Akwa Ibom State governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has openly declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid.

Eno’s public endorsement shakes party loyalty

“Let me end by assuring our people-loving president, who will complete eight years because we are going to stand by him. And this is the truth. He cannot start this work and abandon it. Somebody else may not finish it,” Eno said at the recent flag-off of the Akwa Ibom–Cross River section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

His declaration came shortly after the PDP Governors’ Forum rejected a proposal by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar—its 2023 presidential candidate—for a coalition of opposition parties, further intensifying concerns about the party’s internal unity.

To dispel doubts, Governor Eno reinforced his stance during another state event, declaring that he was not like those who speak from both sides of the mouth.

“Me, I don’t know how to talk from both sides of the mouth. The other day, I said I was going to support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. People asked, ‘Ah, why would you say that?’ But at night, those same people go behind and tell Baba they support him. Then in the afternoon, they’re doing something else.

“As for me, I’m supporting Baba Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term. When the time comes, I’ll tell you why. The time hasn’t come yet. But when it does, you’ll understand. Let me keep it for now—no need to lie to ourselves.

“When the time is right, I’ll explain, and you’ll see for yourself why we should support him so he can finish what he started,” he said.

Governor Eno did not attempt to dismiss insinuations that his declaration may be about self-preservation. “The Senate President (a two-term former governor of the state) has told me on many occasions that they’ll support Pastor Umo Eno for a second term. So, you choose your path, I choose mine. You support me, I support you. Na play, no be fight,” he added.

He emphasised that this new political direction does not nullify his membership of the PDP. “I’m entitled to my opinion,” he stated.

While Eno is the first of the first-term PDP governors to publicly align with the president, others, including Delta State’s Sheriff Oborevwori, Enugu’s Peter Mbah, and Osun’s Ademola Adeleke, are reportedly making discreet moves along similar lines.

In Delta State, Oborevwori—who succeeded Ifeanyi Okowa, Atiku’s running mate in 2023—has, through his aides, hinted at supporting Tinubu in 2027. His Chief of Staff, Prince Johnson Erijo, speaking at the “Uzere Declaration for Tinubu and Oborevwori,” called on Isoko people to support their own in the senatorial district and reaffirmed Isoko’s plan to deliver 70,000 votes for Tinubu and Oborevwori in 2027.

At another event attended by Governor Oborevwori and the first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council pledged support for Tinubu’s second-term bid. This is in addition to ongoing speculation about a possible defection by the governor to the APC.

Adeleke stirs controversy with joint billboard campaign

While Governor Adeleke has not openly declared support for Tinubu, campaign posters and previous remarks suggest a possible alignment. A new campaign billboard in Iwo Local Government Area of Osun State featuring both Tinubu and Adeleke has stoked political tension. The APC in Osun accused the PDP of attempting to ride on Tinubu’s popularity to boost Adeleke’s profile.

In response, Adeleke’s spokesperson dismissed the APC’s allegations, blaming the outcry on political insecurity and irrelevance. Though not denying rumours of a possible alliance, the spokesperson maintained that the governor remains focused on governance and delivering the dividends of democracy to Osun people.

After the February 2025 local government elections in the state, Adeleke had also publicly praised President Tinubu for upholding the rule of law, describing him as a “true democrat” and rejecting claims of making derogatory statements about the presidency.

He Is not the only PDP governor to praise the president. After the Supreme Court had upheld the election of governors in several states, Governors Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Abba Kabir Yusuf (Kano), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), and the suspended Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers) all commended President Tinubu for non-interference in judicial processes—an action many interpret as politically significant ahead of 2027.

G-5 precedent emboldens new wave of defiance

For analysts, Eno’s public endorsement of Tinubu may have been inspired by the PDP’s failure to take disciplinary action against the group of five governors—G-5—who openly worked against the party’s presidential candidate in 2023.

The G-5, led by then-Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike (now FCT Minister), also included Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu). Despite their key roles in weakening the PDP’s national outing, none has faced party sanctions.

In fact, according to INEC’s results, three of the five states controlled by the G-5 voted for the APC in the 2023 presidential election. In Rivers, APC polled 231,591 votes to PDP’s 88,468 and Labour Party’s 175,071. In Oyo, APC got 449,884 against PDP’s 182,977. And in Benue, APC narrowly won with 310,468 votes over LP’s 308,372 and PDP’s 130,081. However, PDP lost in Abia and Enugu where LP’s Peter Obi carried the day.

This precedent appears to have encouraged governors like Eno and Oborevwori to pursue a similar path, confident that they can escape sanctions.

Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, continues to praise Tinubu and has reiterated support for him in 2027. He has also commended PDP governors backing the president’s re-election.

Wike insists that neither he nor the others intend to defect but are simply supporting leadership that serves the national interest.

This perceived indiscipline has raised doubts about the PDP’s cohesion ahead of the next general elections, with fears mounting that the party could splinter further. There is also growing concern that unless the party takes decisive action, it may suffer more defections, further weakening its relevance ahead of 2027.

As long as PDP tolerates defiance, crisis will persist – Prof. Kari

Professor Abubakar Umar Kari, a political sociologist, said the trend is not new. “This is not surprising within the context of Fourth Republic politics. It’s a recurring trend where members of one party align with a rival party. Some do it subtly, others are very open about it,” he said.

He added: “Historically, the PDP used this tactic between 1999 and 2015 when it dominated national politics. They dangled carrots in front of governors from other parties. Back then, it was often said—jokingly—that some opposition governors were more PDP than the PDP governors themselves.

“There were APP governors—later ANPP—who behaved like PDP members. It’s one of the oddities of our political culture, where politicians, particularly governors, speak from both sides of their mouths. Some say it’s about self-preservation. Others call it sheer selfishness. And there are those who believe it’s because our parties lack ideology and distinct identity—essentially, that there’s no real difference between them.”

Kari warned that the actions of governors openly defying their party structures come with dangerous consequences.

“It’s especially damaging when a sitting governor, who is the leader of a party in a state, openly campaigns against his own party. That’s a dangerous trend. For instance, during the 2003 elections, this was what led to the decimation of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). All the AD governors—except Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Lagos—aligned with President Obasanjo. Obasanjo won, and they all lost their seats,” he recalled.

“So it’s a high-stakes gamble. It seriously undermines the party structure. For the PDP, having a sitting governor publicly distance himself from the party amounts to a declaration of no confidence. It raises serious questions—why is he still In the party at all?” Kari queried.

He also weighed In on the campaign posters in Osun featuring Tinubu and Adeleke.

“That’s not new either. Even before Buhari became president in 2015, many opposition candidates used his image on their posters to win sympathy. Adeleke is just being politically smart. As an opposition governor in the South-West, he wants a second term. At the same time, he likely doesn’t want to offend what some call the ‘Yoruba agenda’—if such a thing exists. Or maybe he just doesn’t want Tinubu to move against him. That’s very possible, especially since his likely opponent would be Oyetola, a Tinubu loyalist and relative—his nephew, in fact. Unless there’s an undisclosed understanding between them, Adeleke may be hedging his bets,” he said.

On the PDP’s inaction, Kari was emphatic: “Absolutely, it does. And it’s particularly troubling that among the G-5, one person has become the party’s biggest problem—like a sword hanging over the PDP. Nyesom Wike openly identifies with the APC. He openly works for the APC. Yet he claims to remain a PDP member—and nothing has happened to him.

“There’s been no attempt to discipline him. Probably because the PDP is in disarray—it lacks the capacity and perhaps even the courage to confront him. That’s the unfortunate reality. For some of us, the first step for the PDP to regain credibility is to put its house in order. But people like Wike and others have plunged the party into total disorder.”

He concluded: “As long as the PDP continues to tolerate this level of open defiance, the party will keep staggering from one crisis to another. It’s that simple.”

Sufi: PDP is in serious disarray

Also commenting, Dr. Kabiru Sufi, a Kano-based political analyst, said, “There is serious confusion in the ranks of the PDP, as one of the leading opposition parties in the country.”

He said the confusion largely centres on the role of Wike in the party, as well as the utterances of some PDP governors who have openly endorsed President Tinubu.

“And then those who have not endorsed Tinubu also show that maybe there are a few other governors, like Bala Mohammed, who are not with Atiku on his desire to see the party join ranks with other political parties to form a stronger opposition,” he said.

“So it means there are four or five different camps and positions within the party itself, showing that the PDP is in disarray. One would expect the party to be focused for now, but these divisions show that it may not have the kind of impact expected of it in the 2027 presidential race,” he said.

Sufi, a senior lecturer at Skyline University, Kano, added that while he agreed with some governors who argued that any potential alliance should involve other parties joining the PDP—given its current strength in terms of elected officials—others had ruled out any such possibility altogether.

“So for me, the party lacks the cohesion needed for it to lead the opposition in the country for now.

“Unless certain alignments are made, I think it is a cause for serious concern. Despite its strength and its past chances, the PDP is withering away for now, considering the divisions within. The fault lines are increasing by the day. We used to have maybe two opposing camps—now three, then four, now five. So you can see the party is increasingly getting divided over serious and important issues,” he added. (Daily Trust)