Makinde Becomes PDP’s Last Remaining Southern Governor — Full List

The defection of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday has left Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde as the only remaining Southern governor still aligned with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

This move comes on the heels of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke’s earlier resignation from the party, which he made public last week, followed by his formal induction into the Accord Party on Tuesday.

Both defections reflect the broader leadership crisis that has split PDP into two factions, leaving the once-dominant party significantly weakened and with diminishing control across Nigeria’s states.

The current scenario marks a sharp decline for PDP, which once wielded broad national influence and held sway in many key states across the South, especially the South-East and the South-South, and other regions. With Southern governors now almost entirely gone, the party’s geographic spread and political footprint have been substantially reduced, signaling a new era of vulnerability for the opposition party.

With the departures of Fubara and Adeleke, PDP is left with only a handful of governors.

Alongside Makinde in Oyo State, the party still has representation in Adamawa, Bauchi, and Zamfara states.

Governors in Taraba and Plateau States, however, are widely expected to leave the party in the coming weeks. Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas has reportedly set a formal defection date for January 2026, while Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang is also finalising plans to join APC soon.

If these departures occur as expected, PDP will retain only four state governorships, further underscoring the party’s diminished national standing. The ongoing factionalism within PDP has exacerbated this erosion, leaving the party struggling to maintain cohesion and a coherent political identity.

The ruling APC, meanwhile, has capitalised on PDP’s internal turmoil, expanding its political dominance across the country.

Currently holding 25 state governorships, APC is poised to gain two more with the impending defections of Taraba and Plateau. The party’s consolidation of power extends beyond mere numbers; the defection of Rivers State, a major South-South state, to APC reinforces its hold in a region that was once a stronghold of the PDP.

These gains not only strengthen APC’s presence at the state level but also enhance its ability to influence federal-to-state cooperation and solidify its political networks in preparation for the 2027 elections.

The exodus of governors from PDP and the corresponding expansion of APC’s influence have significant implications for the 2027 elections.

The loss of governorships reduces PDP’s capacity to mobilise voters, maintain grassroots structures, and effectively challenge APC at both state and federal levels. Conversely, APC’s growing network of governors gives it an operational advantage, providing broader reach for electoral mobilisation and strengthening its prospects ahead of 2027.

Unless PDP can reconcile its factions and rebuild its state-level structures, the party faces the prospect of a further decline in relevance, potentially reshaping Nigeria’s political landscape in favour of APC, although the African Democratic Congress (ADC), championed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President David Mark, and other political bigwigs, is positioning itself to take over from the PDP as the main opposition parry.

Here’s a breakdown of each state governors and their political parties:

*Governors whose departure from their party is imminent.