I Was Never In PDP – Akpabio Declares

Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday denied ever being a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Naija News reports that Akpabio made the claim during a Senate session while lawmakers considered a motion in honour of former Kogi State Governor, Ibrahim Idris, who died on September 20, 2026.

The issue came up when Senator Jibrin Isah, who represents Kogi East, moved a motion calling on the Senate to honour the late former governor.

While introducing the motion, Isah recalled the political relationship he had with Akpabio and Idris when they were members of the PDP.

He referred to the period when all three politicians were active in the party and noted that Idris had served as Kogi State governor from May 29, 2003, to January 27, 2012.

Akpabio, however, interrupted the lawmaker and rejected the suggestion that he had ever belonged to the PDP.

The Senate President maintained that he had always identified with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and did not consider himself a PDP member.

He said: “I was never in PDP, my spirit might be there but my heart was never there. I have always been a progressive.”

His position appeared at odds with his political record, as he served as governor of Akwa Ibom State between 2007 and 2015 under the PDP.

During his time as governor, Akpabio also served as chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, a position occupied by governors elected on the platform of the party.

After leaving the governorship in May 2015, Akpabio was elected to the Senate on the PDP platform and represented Akwa Ibom North-West.

He later became the Senate Minority Leader, a position he held from 2015 until 2018.

Akpabio remained in the PDP until August 2018, when he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2019 general elections.