Tributes and commendations dominated the atmosphere in Enugu on Tuesday as Governor Peter Mbah officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The presidency described his defection as a strategic move that has repositioned the Southeast in Nigeria’s political mainstream.
Before the rally, Mbah, in a statewide broadcast, announced that the entire political leadership of Enugu State—including members of the National and State Assemblies—had joined the APC after years of loyalty to the PDP that, according to him, “was not reciprocated.”
During the ceremony at the Michael Okpara Square, Governor Mbah completed the APC membership form and received his party card from the national leadership.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who led top government officials to the event, said Mbah’s defection marked a turning point for the Southeast, removing the region from “the margins of Nigerian politics.”
He described the Igbo as “one of the most economically enterprising, educationally ambitious, and vibrant tribes in Africa,” lamenting that the region had been politically sidelined in the past decade.
“Now, with the coming of Governor Peter Mbah, and with the energy of Governors Hope Uzodimma (Imo) and Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), the Southeast has come to the mainstream of Nigerian politics,” Shettima declared.
He described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a leader for all Nigerians, assuring that the administration would ensure inclusive development in the region.
Turning to Mbah, Shettima said: “I believe you had a broom hidden in your umbrella all these years, waiting for the right moment to bring it out.”
He affirmed Mbah’s position as the new APC leader in Enugu State, stressing that “from the party’s constitution and convention, the governor is the leader of the party in his state.”
“We are one big family tied by a common destiny,” Shettima added. “You’ll be treated justly and fairly, and all federal government initiatives planned for the Southeast will certainly reach the region.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio described Mbah’s defection as a catalyst for development in Igboland, noting that “the entire Southeast senators are now in the APC.”
“I have nothing to add except that we are here to support this governor,” Akpabio said. “My wife is from Enugu, and my children are relocating here. What I’m seeing today shows that this state is even more beautiful than Abuja.”
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, assured Mbah of equal treatment with long-standing members of the party, adding that “no party can provide a better platform for development than the APC.”
Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, commended Mbah for his “bold and wise decision,” saying it had strengthened the reintegration of Ndigbo into national politics.
APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, likened Mbah’s move to “leading his people from Egypt to the promised land.”
He praised the governor’s achievements in infrastructure, education, electricity, and water supply, noting that “the PDP cannot contain a progressive mind like yours.”
“Enugu now represents progress,” Yilwatda said. “We are glad to welcome you back to the progressive family so you can help expand the Renewed Hope Agenda to the grassroots.”
Dignitaries at the event included former governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Sullivan Chime, Rochas Okorocha, and senators Adams Oshiomhole, Ned Nwoko, Orji Uzor Kalu, Opeyemi Bamidele, and Osita Ngwu, among others.
