Former National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jacob Mark, has dismissed the defection of former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as unlikely to cause significant disruption to the main opposition party. Speaking on Thursday, Mark argued that Okowa’s move holds little political weight, pointing out that the former governor failed to deliver Delta State for the PDP in the 2023 elections despite being the party’s vice presidential candidate.
On Wednesday, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Okowa, several National and State Assembly members, and local government chairmen from the state defected to the ruling APC. Mark acknowledged the significance of a sitting governor’s departure, stating, “No political party will celebrate the exit of a sitting governor. That is a big one.” However, he questioned the broader impact, noting, “Whether that amounts to an earthquake is something else to discuss.”
Mark highlighted Okowa’s inability to secure Delta State for PDP’s presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar in 2023, questioning what “tsunami” his defection could trigger within the PDP. “If he could not deliver his state as running mate, it goes a long way to say what kind of impact he can have in APC,” he said. He emphasized the independence of Delta State’s electorate, stating, “The people of Delta have consistently shown electoral capacity to think for themselves, not necessarily following the decisions of governors or senators.”
The former PDP legal adviser suggested that defections are often driven by personal interests rather than public welfare or the APC’s performance. “Some defect for political mileage, appointments, or negotiated deals not known to the public, not for the communities they represent,” Mark said. He criticized the lack of ideological grounding in Nigerian politics, noting, “We are not operating based on any ideology. All political parties are the same, which is why people move from one to another overnight.”
Mark’s comments reflect ongoing debates about the motivations behind high-profile defections and their impact on Nigeria’s political landscape, as the APC continues to attract prominent figures from opposition parties.