₦airaland Forum

Barring any last-minute change of plans, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State will soon defect from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report.

Sources familiar with the governor’s plan said Mr Mbah has consulted widely with political associates and leaders in Enugu and beyond in recent weeks regarding his planned move.

Two former governors of Enugu, Chimaroke Nnamani and Sullivan Chime, as well as a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani — all now members or supporters of the APC — are believed to have played critical roles in persuading Mr Mbah to join the ruling party.

One close associate disclosed that the consultation rounds would conclude this week, after which the governor and his inner circle will fix and announce a date for his formal defection.

Mr Mbah’s imminent departure marks yet another major setback for the PDP, which has governed Enugu since 1999 but is now engulfed in a deepening national crisis. His planned exit comes just three months after Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom and four months after Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta left the main opposition party for the APC.

According to a PDP chieftain Mr Mbah consulted, the governor gave two principal reasons for his looming defection. First is the unending strife within the PDP at the national level, which he reportedly described as a grave threat to the ambitions of anyone hoping to contest on the party’s platform in 2027.


Second, Mr Mbah lamented what he considers the unfair treatment of the Southeast within the party’s leadership structure.

On 30 June, the governor threatened to lead the PDP’s Southeast zone out of the party after Abuja insisted on retaining Samuel Anyanwu as national secretary instead of Sunday Udeh-Okoye, the candidate nominated by the zone.

That warning was ignored, and Mr Anyanwu — a key ally of former Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike — has since been reinstated. Still aggrieved, Mr Mbah is now said to be finalising his move to the APC.

When contacted on Thursday, the governor’s spokesperson, Uche Anichukwu, acknowledged the recent wave of political consultations but said he was unaware of any final decision to dump the PDP.
the entrance at the APC National Secretariat, Abuja on Tuesday morning-Photo credits: Ademola Popoola Premium Times

However, PREMIUM TIMES’ sources, all close associates of the governor, insist they are “100 per cent certain” that Mr Mbah will defect to the APC within weeks, if not days.

Mr Mbah, 53, a lawyer, businessman and politician, was elected governor of Enugu in 2023.

He had earlier in 2003 served the state as Chief of Staff to then-Governor Chimaroke Nnamani and later as Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development.

In the past two years of his governorship, his administration has been credited with significant strides in security management, fiscal prudence, innovative governance, and infrastructure and human capital development.

If he defects as planned, Mr Mbah’s departure will further shrink the PDP’s control to just nine states: Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, and Zamfara. Of these, Rivers is already under heavy influence of the APC through Mr Wike, a PDP member serving in the APC-led federal government.

The APC, meanwhile, will stretch its dominance to 24 states: Akwa Ibom, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Sokoto, and Yobe.

The remaining three states will continue to be governed by other opposition parties: Abia (Labour Party), Anambra (All Progressives Grand Alliance), and Kano (New Nigeria Peoples Party).

Streetinvestor2:
What does he stand to gain by joining the evil party. Will it make SE vote SW president in 2027 when we don't see him as an option

ALTERNATEID:
Another great signing for APC. Both Kwakwanso and Governor Mbah will be unveiled at the same time. The other people can keep looking for irrelevant former this and former that.

destinychildolu:
And Kwankwaso is current what?

Streetinvestor2:
What does he stand to gain by joining the evil party. Will it make SE vote SW president in 2027 when we don't see him as an option

Streetinvestor2:
What does he stand to gain by joining the evil party. Will it make SE vote SW president in 2027 when we don't see him as an option

Krankhead:
Wipe your tears bro and drink Gaari. Them be pady pady

Streetinvestor2:
What does he stand to gain by joining the evil party. Will it make SE vote SW president in 2027 when we don't see him as an option

Streetinvestor2:
What does he stand to gain by joining the evil party. Will it make SE vote SW president in 2027 when we don't see him as an option

ViceGovernor:
There should be a law that will make sure such a traitor will lose his seat if he defects.

It is pure robbery...after winning with one party then you jump fence to other one, why didn't he contest under the the coven of APC and see if he wouldn't have lost the election woefully.

Xscape1993:
That is his own personal business not mine. If he likes he should leave today. I don't care. Thanks.

Nemesis0147:
This one don't want to go for second tenure....APC in my own Enugu ke

larryUG:
I fully support him on this one. Since the PDP has no balls and have decided to cede the party to Wike, he can have it.

A whole zone cannot nominate a candidate for the position of National Secretary and Wike who is not even from the zone, will determine who becomes the rep of the zone. no nau.

The entire southeast zone will leave the pdp, since they dont have balls to reign in Wike

ddippset:
Says a man who hijacked the party and singlehandedly produced the last 4 National Chairmen of the party for his own selfishness.

Says a man who accepted nomination to be running mate to Fulani Atiku.
He knew it was injustice to give Atiku the ticket yet he lobbied to be the VP.


He knew the party had to go South for the 2023 election, yet he still put Secondus as National Chaiman just to hijack the party..
Only to push Secondus out because he wanted the ticket 2023.

This man remains the biggest problem of PDP.

He can only deceive and fool his minions, not reasonable people.

Johnjanrt:
PDP is dead and gone, their refusal to be flexible and merge will bring about ruin of the party.

Anyways Asiwaju we trust to lead us to a better, prosperous, wealthy nation.
Nigeria will rise to take its due among league of Great nation on earth.

anonimi:
May 1, 2025

May Day: Hunger, unemployment, insecurity real— Tinubu

According to him: “The theme demands our collective attention and serves as a stark reminder of the need to create an environment where every worker feels safe, valued, and empowered to contribute to the growth and prosperity of our nation. As your President, I assure you that this administration is committed to creating such an environment for the common good.”

On the economic hardship, he noted that while it is a global phenomenon, its effects on Nigerians are particularly severe.

Tinubu said: “I am aware of the peculiarities of the economic hardship Nigerians face—rising living costs, hunger, insecurity, unemployment, and the loss of livelihoods. These challenges are real and demand definitive solutions, which I am poised to address as your President.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/05/may-day-hunger-unemployment-insecurity-real-tinubu/

Careful4u:
I dare Mba to try it and find out the hard way! he will fail woefully!

Streetinvestor2:
What does he stand to gain by joining the evil party. Will it make SE vote SW president in 2027 when we don't see him as an option