Governor Peter Mbah’s reported plan to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has caused a major split among PDP leaders in Enugu State.
While some of Mbah’s loyalists welcomed the move, others vowed not to follow him to the ruling party.
The tension grew after the APC dissolved its Enugu State Executive Committee on Wednesday to prepare for the governor’s defection. The party’s National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, said the change was part of efforts to strengthen APC’s influence in the South-East
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Speaking in Abuja on Friday, the new APC Caretaker Chairman in Enugu, Dr. Ben Nwoye, confirmed that the governor would officially join the APC on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, along with top officials from the state.
“The governor is not coming alone,” Nwoye said. “He is coming with 260 ward councillors, 24 members of the House of Assembly, members of the National Assembly, and the entire state executive council. Political evangelism has started.”
He added that Mbah’s move would mark the end of opposition dominance in the South-East.
“Governor Mbah has transformed Enugu in two years. Now, he will anchor APC’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the region,” he said.
Reacting to the development, Chief Uchenna Obute, the PDP Publicity Secretary in Enugu State, said the governor remained the leader of the party in the state.
“We have made it known that Peter Mbah is our party. Wherever he goes, there we go,” Obute said, though he admitted that Mbah had not formally informed the PDP leadership of his plans.
However, not all PDP members support the defection. A state lawmaker, who spoke anonymously, accused the governor of poor leadership.
“As we speak, members of the House of Assembly have not been paid their salaries and allowances for two months,” he said. “This is not the first time he will owe us. Most of us won’t follow him.”
A former PDP National Auditor, Chief Ray Nnaji, also rejected the move, saying most party members would stay behind.
“Those that will follow him to the APC won’t be up to 20 per cent of PDP members in the state,” Nnaji said. “We are waiting for him to leave so we can rebuild the party. He has sidelined all stakeholders who helped him win in 2023.”
Nnaji accused Mbah of seeking “federal might” to boost his chances of re-election in 2027.
“His body language has shown he’s been lobbying to join APC for some time,” he added.
Meanwhile, a source close to the governor said the planned defection might not happen on Tuesday as expected.
“It may not happen as soon as being speculated,” the source told reporters.
The reported defection has thrown the Enugu political scene into confusion, with both parties preparing for what could be one of the biggest political shifts in the South-East.