Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah officially left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday, bringing an end to PDP’s 26‑year rule in the state.
He didn’t go alone. Mbah led a mass exodus from PDP: national and state legislators, local government chairmen, councillors, political appointees and over 80% of state PDP leadership all aligned with him into the APC.
The move effectively handed the ruling party full control of Enugu’s political structure.
As the last PDP governor left in the South‑East, Mbah’s switch gives the APC a major symbolic and strategic victory.
Before the defection, the PDP governed 13 states and the APC 23. Post defection, the balance shifts further in favor of APC: now 24 to PDP’s 10.
At a large rally held at Michael Okpara Square, Mbah signed the APC membership form and was formally welcomed by top national leaders.
The event filled the 30,000‑capacity venue and marked a pivotal moment in Enugu’s political history.
Vice President Kashim Shettima led the delegation to the ceremony.
He heralded Mbah’s arrival as a turning point for the South‑East, declaring that the region would now be more central to national development efforts.
Shettima praised the Igbo people for their industriousness and lamented their exclusion from national policy in past years.
“Now with Governor Mbah’s joining and with Governors Uzodimma (Imo) and Nwifuru (Ebonyi) also active, I believe the Igbo have come fully into the mainstream of Nigerian politics,” he said.
He also made a playful remark: “I believe you had a broom hidden in your umbrella all these years, waiting for the moment to use it.” (The broom is APC’s symbol; the umbrella, PDP’s.)
Shettima affirmed that, according to party rules, the governor automatically becomes the state party leader.
“From convention and constitution, you are now the leader of the APC family in Enugu State,” he declared.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio predicted increased development for the South‑East following the shift.
He claimed that “all Southeast senators have turned to APC,” and jokingly compared Enugu favorably to Abuja in infrastructure and appeal.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas pledged fair treatment for Mbah within the party, insisting no other platform could do more for Enugu’s progress than the APC.
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo, who chairs the Progressive Governors’ Forum, called Mbah’s move “bold and wise,” saying it reinforced efforts toward the Igbo’s political reintegration.
APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda praised Mbah’s governance, declaring that he led his people “from Egypt to the Promised Land.”
The rally was attended by 12 sitting governors, as well as former governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Sullivan Chime, and Rochas Okorocha, plus prominent senators like Adams Oshiomhole, Orji Uzor Kalu, and Opeyemi Bamidele.
Mbah framed the decision as a collective move by Enugu’s political class: all 17 LG chairmen, 260 councillors, 24 state assembly members, national legislators and over 80% of PDP leadership joined the shift.
“After careful reflection, we concluded we must commit to principles and institutions that respect transparency, trust, and the people we serve,” he said.
“For decades, Enugu stayed loyal to PDP, hoping for recognition. Our voices were repeatedly disregarded, even when it mattered most. We aren’t leaving out of fear, but with conviction.”
He said this was not about power-seeking but finding a Federal platform aligned with his developmental agenda:
“President Tinubu has demonstrated willingness to make tough choices for lasting prosperity. We share a vision: roads, railways, industrialization connecting the South‑East to the rest of Nigeria. This is bigger than partisan politics; it’s about Enugu’s future in national reform.”
He applauded the president’s emphasis on grassroots projects, youth empowerment, and local inclusion, and said those values resonated with his “Tomorrow Is Here” slogan.
Observers say the defection formalizes Enugu’s shift in the national power map and sets new alignments in the South‑East and Nigeria at large.
Multiple PDP governors and legislators are reportedly in talks to switch to APC, suggesting further consolidation ahead of the 2027 elections.
“This is not just a one‑off,” an APC strategist told press.
“It signals where the political wind is blowing. By 2026, opposition might be too fragmented to mount a credible challenge.”
