The ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) has revealed that no fewer than four sitting governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) are in advanced talks to join its fold before the end of 2025.

APC’s National Vice Chairman (South-East), Dr Ijeoma Arodiogbu, disclosed this in an interview with Punch.

He listed the governors of Plateau, Taraba, Rivers, and Abia (LP) as those being courted by the party, stressing that their defection was “highly possible” in the coming weeks.

Arodiogbu said, “It is a possibility that the Plateau governor will join us, likewise his Taraba counterpart. We are also looking forward to receiving Rivers governor, (Siminalayi) Fubara, and Governor (Alex) Otti of Abia State in our midst.

“These are all high possibilities. We expect that to happen in the coming weeks before our congresses. Most of these defections are expected to happen before the end of this year. Once they happen, it will further confirm that the APC remains the dominant and most organized political platform in Nigeria.”

The APC chieftain explained that the party’s open-door policy and reform agenda have made it increasingly attractive to opposition figures.

He said, “The truth is that the APC has become a home for all progressives. We are not just expanding in numbers but in quality leadership. Governors and other political leaders are beginning to see that this is the platform that offers stability and direction for Nigeria’s democracy.”

Arodiogbu added that the party leadership under the national chairman had created an inclusive environment for dialogue and participation.

“The national chairman has made it clear that the APC is not closing its doors to anyone. We are reaching out to people of goodwill who believe in President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” he stated.

The APC vice chairman maintained that the anticipated defections would further strengthen the ruling party ahead of its 2025 congresses and the 2027 general elections.

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has declared that the party has not barred anyone from contesting its national chairmanship position in its November 2025 elective convention despite the push for a consensus candidate.

Speaking against the backdrop of the interest in the position by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, George declared that Lamido has every right to contest the PDP national chairmanship position.

He argued that despite the push for a consensus candidate by the party, every aspirant is free to pick the form and contest any position of interest.

George said the consensus option is not binding on any aspirant, and delegates would vote during the convention.

“This has been part of the practice in the PDP. The fact that some leaders converge to support one person as a consensus candidate doesn’t mean others cannot compete.

“You want to make the process seamless and non-combative. We’ve done this before, but the party has never told anyone they cannot contest. Governor Sule Lamido has the right to compete.

“He can get the form, fill it, and appear on the convention day. We will vote. That is the practice in our party,” George stated during Tuesday’s edition on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

Naija News recalls that Lamido had declared interest in the PDP National Chairman position but lamented that he was denied the expression of interest and nomination forms when he visited the secretariat on Monday to purchase them.

He threatened to go to court if the PDP denies him the opportunity to contest in the forthcoming party convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Reacting to his threat, George, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), submitted that while Lamido has every right to contest, heading to court without exhausting all internal party mechanisms for resolving such internal disputes may attract punishment.

“This party is not owned by any individual. Before taking the party to court, you must exhaust the internal dynamics of the party. If you fail to do that, you can be punished,” he said.

George stressed again that Lamido is free to contest but warned against going to court, assuring that the convention would be conducted in a free and fair atmosphere.

“So, he is exercising his rights. But if he goes to court for this, he can be punished. Let him go, nobody will deny him any form, and he can compete. The final decision will be by delegates attending the convention, and it will be done openly,” George stated.

Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Bashir Gegu, has warned that the All Progressives Congress (APC) might lose Kogi State in the 2027 general elections if President Bola Tinubu sidelines former Governor Yahaya Bello.

Gegu gave the warning at a political gathering at a Kogi Local Council.

He argued that Bello remains the architect of the state’s current political structure and a decisive factor in the ruling party’s continued dominance.

The speech, which he shared on his Facebook page, quoted the commissioner as saying, “If former Governor Yahaya Bello is not carried along, APC cannot win Kogi State. That is the plain truth.”

He dismissed social media’s criticism of a recent rally in Lokoja, insisting it was not about power play, but an expression of gratitude to Tinubu and Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for their leadership.

Gegu added, “The rally was a show of appreciation, not a protest. But let no one make the mistake, without Yahaya Bello, there’s no APC victory in Kogi.”

The commissioner credited Bello for laying the groundwork for political stability and federal visibility in the state, saying his influence still cuts across all districts.