Kola Ologbondiyan, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has alleged that governors elected on the PDP platform are facing sustained harassment aimed at forcing them to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ologbondiyan made the claim during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, in response to the recent political developments involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
His comments come amid a deepening crisis within the PDP, and just days after President Tinubu held a closed-door meeting with Fubara and Wike, appearing to resolve their long-running feud. The trio were later seen smiling in a photograph that has since circulated widely online.
Recalling past events, Ologbondiyan noted that President Tinubu had previously declared a state of emergency in Rivers State in March, suspending Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and the State House of Assembly, following a prolonged political conflict.
More recently, two PDP governors—Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State and Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom—have left the party to join the APC, both citing internal crises within the PDP as justification for their move.
However, Ologbondiyan rejected the idea that internal discord alone was fuelling defections, instead asserting that PDP governors are under pressure from outside forces.
“They are being humiliated, and whether they can openly say it or not, they are being forced to abandon their party and join the All Progressives Congress and President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s political party,” he said.
He also conceded that the resolution of the Rivers State conflict—brokered by the President—represented a setback for the PDP, but called for the party to refocus its energy on unity and resilience ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“I will be honest, and I think the PDP did all it could, some on a negative side, others on a positive side… The takeaway is that our governors are being harassed,” he said.
Ologbondiyan urged the PDP leadership to look beyond the Rivers State episode and concentrate on shielding its remaining governors from further pressure to defect.
