Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah
Enugu, the heart of the South East, is set to witness a major political shake-up as Governor Peter Mbah, along with his key aides and political allies, prepares to formally defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday.
Confirming the development, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on External Relations, Uche Anichukwu, revealed in a statement on Tuesday that heavyweight figures in the APC, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, will be in Enugu to receive Mbah into the party.
Also expected at the high-stakes event are members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) led by the party’s National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, as well as several governors, ministers, lawmakers, and federal appointees.
Backing Mbah’s move, Anichukwu noted that various influential groups and stakeholders across Enugu, including the state chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, have thrown their weight behind the defection.
He cited former state APC Chairman Augustine Nnamani, who did not hold back in his criticism of the PDP’s handling of internal affairs in the region. Nnamani blamed the opposition party for creating the conditions that led to the mass defection, accusing it of marginalizing the South East and undermining Mbah’s leadership.
“The PDP chose a few people in Abuja over and above the South East,” Nnamani said. “Mbah has exited as spelt out in their region’s communique in May to leave the party if its choice was not respected.”
He further lamented that the crisis and perceived injustice within the PDP had cost the party “one of the best performing governors in the country” and had seen it lose its once-dominant grip on the South East.
Adding to the groundswell of support, the Enugu chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, through a joint statement by its Vice President General, Prof. Fred Eze, and National Treasurer, Dr. Peter Aneke, described Mbah’s decision as “bold, thoughtful, and timely,” especially given the need to attract federal projects to the state.
The organization reiterated its commitment to maintaining the zoning arrangement in Enugu’s politics, emphasizing equity, fairness, and justice. “We remain committed to upholding the long-standing zoning tradition for the office of the Governor,” the statement read.
Traditional institutions also echoed their endorsement. Igwe Samuel Asadu, Chairman of the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, said Mbah’s leadership has earned him both local and national admiration, citing his developmental strides over the last 26 months.
“Therefore, the traditional rulers and people of Enugu State have absolute trust in his judgement,” Asadu said. “We wish him the best as he charts this new political course because it is rooted in the good of Enugu State. It is all about the people.”
Speaking in a similar tone, the Chairman of the Enugu chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Mr. Okechukwu Edeh, stated that the governor remains the political reference point in the state.
“As we have said earlier, Gov. Peter Mbah is the political party Enugu State knows today,” Edeh affirmed. “We believe this is a wise decision. When it was stated earlier that we would chart a new political course when our voices no longer counted in the other political party, this was exactly what was meant.”
With high-profile political players arriving and widespread local support coalescing, Enugu appears poised to become a significant new stronghold for the APC in the South East.
