The political landscape in the Southeast is set for a major seismic shift as Enugu, the capital of Enugu State, is set to host a massive political rally this Tuesday. The event will mark the formal entry of Governor Peter Mbah and his key political appointees into the fold of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The defection has triggered a high-powered gathering, with Nigeria’s political heavyweights flying into the state to receive the Governor. Expected guests include Vice President Kashim Shettima, President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen. The delegation will also feature the entire APC National Working Committee (NWC), led by National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, along with several state governors, ministers, and federal lawmakers.
The Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on External Relations, Uche Anichukwu, confirmed the development in a statement issued from Enugu.
The PDP’s Self-Inflicted Wound
The decision by Governor Mbah and his political family to abandon the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has received widespread support within the state. According to Anichukwu, various critical segments of the state, including the influential Ohanaeze Ndigbo, have thrown their weight behind the move.
Former Enugu State Chairman of the PDP, Augustine Nnamani, squarely laid the blame for the mass exodus at the feet of the PDP leadership. He argued that the national party “mistreated and betrayed” the people of the South-east and Governor Mbah himself by failing to recognize Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary, a position traditionally reserved for the zone.
Nnamani regretted that the PDP “chose a few people in Abuja over and above the South-east.” He stated that Mbah’s exit simply fulfilled the region’s earlier communique, which pledged to leave the party if its choice was not respected. The former chairman lamented that this crisis and the ongoing injustice have cost the PDP one of Nigeria’s best-performing governors and effectively reduced the party’s presence from controlling all five South-east states to losing everything.
Strategic Move for Federal Attention
The Governor’s aide further noted that the Enugu State Chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide had applauded Mbah for “taking the bold step of joining the ruling APC.”
In a statement signed by the Ohanaeze Vice President General representing Enugu State, Fred Eze, and the National Treasurer, Peter Aneke, the apex Igbo socio-cultural body deemed the decision both “thoughtful and timely.” They highlighted the compelling need to attract more federal government projects and attention to Enugu State as a major motivation for the political realignment.
The statement also reiterated the socio-cultural body’s commitment to the existing zoning arrangement for the office of the Governor in the state, emphasizing their dedication to “upholding the long-standing zoning tradition… in the spirit of equity, fairness, and justice in Enugu State.”
The Chairman of the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, Samuel Asadu, also weighed in, praising Governor Mbah for earning national acclaim and the trust of the people through his “trailblazing performance and grassroots-oriented development in the last 26 months.” Asadu concluded that the traditional rulers and people of Enugu State have “absolute trust in his judgement,” affirming that Mbah’s new political course is fundamentally rooted in the good of Enugu State, making it all about the people.
