Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has switched his allegiance from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mbah announced his political move in a televised address to the state, justifying the defection as a necessary step to align the South-Eastern state with the Federal Government, FG, at the centre.
He also offered praise for the policies of President Bola Tinubu, noting that the state has received substantial assistance under the President’s administration.
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His departure from the PDP has been accompanied by a significant shift in state officials, as members of the State House of Assembly, local council chairmen, and councillors have joined him in the ruling party.
This significant shift is part of a broader trend, as reports suggest Bayelsa State Governor Duoye Diri’s defection is also finalised and imminent.
Furthermore, this follows the earlier defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno, who, along with their key officials and appointees, joined the APC earlier this year.
Background
The defection of Mbah followed the exit of several prominent figures from the PDP, who have now aligned with the African Democratic Party (ADC) coalition.
The New Daily Prime reported that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, publisher Dele Momodu, Senator Dino Melaye, and others defected from the PDP to join the ADC.
Atiku, who co-founded the PDP in 1998, explained his decision to leave the party, saying: “I find it necessary to part ways due to the current trajectory the party has taken, which I believe diverges from the foundational principles we stood for. It is with a heavy heart that I resign, recognising the irreconcilable differences that have emerged.”
Atiku, who served as Nigeria’s Vice President between 1999 and 2007, expressed gratitude to the PDP for offering him the platform to serve and to contest the presidency twice — in 2019 and 2023.
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Momodu attributed his departure to what he described as the party’s hijack by “anti-democratic forces.”
Similarly, Melaye cited the PDP’s failure to provide credible leadership and deliver good governance to Nigerians as his reason for leaving.
