RismadarVoice Reporters
September 20, 2026
More than 6,000 members of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State as political mobilisation intensifies ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The defectors, led by NDC chieftain Godwin Obasi, were formally received by the PDP leadership in Enugu. Obasi said the group comprised members drawn from the state’s 260 electoral wards and 17 local government areas.
He attributed their decision to dissatisfaction within the NDC, particularly what he described as the emergence of unpopular candidates for elective positions.
The figure of more than 6,000 represents the defectors’ own account and has not been independently verified through membership records. Separate reports around the event have cited different estimates, including a claim of more than 10,000 participants, underscoring the absence of an independently established total.
PDP PROMISES FULL INTEGRATION
Enugu State PDP Chairman Vitus Okechi welcomed the new members and assured them that they would enjoy equal rights and opportunities to participate in the party’s activities.
The PDP governorship candidate in the state, Uche Nnaji, also assured the defectors that they would be integrated into the party as it strengthens its structures ahead of the election.
Nnaji used the occasion to criticise the Enugu State Government, alleging that its taxation policies had placed additional financial pressure on residents.
He also questioned the state’s revenue drive and made claims concerning pension and gratuity payments to retirees. The allegations were political claims made at the defection event, and no response from the state government was contained in the reports reviewed.
DEFECTION FOLLOWS NDC INTERNAL DISPUTES
The development comes after months of reported internal disagreements within the NDC in Enugu.
In July, more than 80 aggrieved NDC aspirants publicly raised concerns about the party’s primary process, while another governorship aspirant demanded the release of primary election results and indicated that he could pursue legal action over the dispute.
The NDC had earlier maintained that its May 29 primary elections were conducted in accordance with its constitution and the Electoral Act, while warning members against relying on unofficial results.
The party is recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission as a registered political party.
The latest movement to the PDP adds another dimension to the contest for political support in Enugu ahead of the 2027 elections, with parties intensifying efforts to consolidate their structures and attract voters across the state.
