distributions: Unable to upgrade from EPEL to nodesource nodejs

Consider:

 yum info nodejs
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
Installed Packages
Name        : nodejs
Arch        : x86_64
Epoch       : 1
Version     : 6.11.3
Release     : 1.el7
Size        : 16 M
Repo        : installed
From repo   : addon-epel7-x86_64
Summary     : JavaScript runtime
URL         : http://nodejs.org/
License     : MIT and ASL 2.0 and ISC and BSD
Description : Node.js is a platform built on Chrome's JavaScript runtime
            : for easily building fast, scalable network applications.
            : Node.js uses an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model that
            : makes it lightweight and efficient, perfect for data-intensive
            : real-time applications that run across distributed devices.

Available Packages
Name        : nodejs
Arch        : x86_64
Epoch       : 2
Version     : 8.9.3
Release     : 1nodesource
Size        : 17 M
Repo        : rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_
Summary     : JavaScript runtime
URL         : http://nodejs.org
License     : MIT and ASL 2.0 and ISC and BSD
Description : Node.js is a platform built on Chrome's JavaScript runtime
            : for easily building fast, scalable network applications.
            : Node.js uses an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model that
            : makes it lightweight and efficient, perfect for data-intensive
            : real-time applications that run across distributed devices.

When trying to upgrade:

yum install nodejs
Loaded plugins: copr, fastestmirror, langpacks, versionlock
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
 * base: mirror.es.its.nyu.edu
 * epel: mirror.solarvps.com
 * extras: mirror.jax.hugeserver.com
 * updates: mirror.jax.hugeserver.com
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package nodejs.x86_64 1:6.12.0-1.el7 will be updated
--> Processing Dependency: nodejs = 1:6.12.0-1.el7 for package: 1:npm-3.10.10-1.6.12.0.1.el7.x86_64
---> Package nodejs.x86_64 2:8.9.3-1nodesource will be an update
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
Error: Package: 1:npm-3.10.10-1.6.12.0.1.el7.x86_64 (@epel)
           Requires: nodejs = 1:6.12.0-1.el7
           Removing: 1:nodejs-6.12.0-1.el7.x86_64 (@epel)
               nodejs = 1:6.12.0-1.el7
           Updated By: 2:nodejs-8.9.3-1nodesource.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.9.3-1nodesource
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.0.0-1nodesource.el7.centos.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.0.0-1nodesource.el7.centos
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.1.0-1nodesource.el7.centos.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.1.0-1nodesource.el7.centos
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.1.1-1nodesource.el7.centos.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.1.1-1nodesource.el7.centos
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.1.2-1nodesource.el7.centos.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.1.2-1nodesource.el7.centos
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.1.3-1nodesource.el7.centos.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.1.3-1nodesource.el7.centos
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.1.4-1nodesource.el7.centos.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.1.4-1nodesource.el7.centos
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.2.0-1nodesource.el7.centos.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.2.0-1nodesource.el7.centos
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.2.1-1nodesource.el7.centos.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.2.1-1nodesource.el7.centos
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.3.0-1nodesource.el7.centos.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.3.0-1nodesource.el7.centos
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.4.0-1nodesource.el7.centos.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.4.0-1nodesource.el7.centos
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.5.0-1nodesource.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.5.0-1nodesource
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.6.0-1nodesource.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.6.0-1nodesource
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.7.0-1nodesource.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.7.0-1nodesource
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.8.0-1nodesource.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.8.0-1nodesource
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.8.1-1nodesource.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.8.1-1nodesource
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.9.0-1nodesource.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.9.0-1nodesource
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.9.1-1nodesource.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.9.1-1nodesource
           Available: 2:nodejs-8.9.2-1nodesource.x86_64 (rpm.nodesource.com_pub_8.x_el_7_x86_64_)
               nodejs = 2:8.9.2-1nodesource
 You could try using --skip-broken to work around the problem
 You could try running: rpm -Va --nofiles --nodigest

I think this is because the nodesource node bundles in npm but doesn’t mark it as a provided package so there’s no upgrade path.