Port Harcourt, January 6, 2026 — Professor Ngozi Nma Odu, the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), completing her formal registration in her home local government area and embarking on a mobilization tour to bolster grassroots support for the ruling party.
The defection, announced on January 5, 2026, comes more than a month after Governor Siminalayi Fubara and a majority of state and federal lawmakers from Rivers State switched allegiance to the APC, marking a significant consolidation of the party's influence in the oil-rich South-South state.
Odu completed her e-registration as an APC member on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at her polling unit in Akabuka town, Ward 8, Unit 11, in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA). Following the registration, she immediately toured the six zones of the LGA—Egi, Omoku, Osomini, Igburu, Egbema, and Ndoni—to sensitize residents about the ongoing nationwide APC electronic membership registration exercise.
In a statement issued in Port Harcourt by Owupele Benebo, Head of the Press Unit in the Office of the Deputy Governor, Odu explained that the registration drive follows Governor Fubara's earlier declaration to join the APC. She urged residents to register en masse to demonstrate support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Fubara, emphasizing that the move aims to strengthen the support base for both leaders at the grassroots level.
Addressing stakeholders during the tour, Odu highlighted the enthusiastic reception she received across the zones, describing large crowds and widespread willingness to align with the political direction of Governor Fubara and President Tinubu. "You can see the joy and happiness. I have touched all the six zones—Egi, Omoku, Osomini, Igburu, Egbema and Ndoni," she said, noting that the turnout reflects growing acceptance of the APC in the area.
A major highlight of the tour was the defection of hundreds of Labour Party (LP) members in Ndoni to the APC. The new entrants expressed excitement about joining the ruling party, further boosting its strength in the local government area.
Odu described her defection as a significant boost to the APC's presence in ONELGA, signaling increasing grassroots alignment with the leadership of President Tinubu and Governor Fubara. Shortly after her registration, she joined supporters in singing "On Your Mandate We Shall Stand," the popular campaign anthem associated with President Tinubu, drawing cheers from party faithful.
This development aligns with broader political realignments in Rivers State. Governor Fubara defected to the APC in December 2025, following a closed-door meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Subsequently, the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, declared Fubara the leader of the party in Rivers State.
Earlier defections include those of several state and federal lawmakers from Rivers, many loyal to former Governor and current FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who switched to the APC amid the lingering political crisis in the state. The mass movement has significantly reshaped the political landscape, with the APC now controlling the state's executive arm fully and gaining substantial legislative representation.
Political analysts view Odu's defection as the final piece in unifying the Rivers State executive under the APC banner, potentially stabilizing governance and enhancing coordination ahead of future electoral contests, including the 2027 general elections.
The APC's ongoing e-registration exercise, which commenced in late 2025, has seen increased participation in Rivers State following these high-profile defections. Party officials describe the influx as a testament to the ruling party's growing influence in the Niger Delta region.
Odu's move ends weeks of speculation about her political loyalty after Governor Fubara's defection. Her active mobilization efforts underscore a commitment to building robust party structures at the grassroots, with zonal meetings already held to facilitate the process.
In related developments, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Benibo Anabraba, also resigned from the PDP on January 5, 2026, though he has not yet announced a new party affiliation.
The defections highlight the evolving dynamics in Rivers politics, following a protracted crisis that led to a federal state of emergency declaration earlier in 2025, during which Governor Fubara, his deputy, and lawmakers were briefly suspended.
As Nigeria's political parties gear up for future cycles, the APC's gains in Rivers State position it strongly in a region traditionally dominated by the PDP since 1999.
