The Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is set to jump ship to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, next week.
The newly sworn in state caretaker committee chairman of the APC in the state, Dr Ben Nwoye, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja.
The APC had dissolved the existing execute in the state on Thursday and set up a caretaker committee following the planned defection of Governor Mbah to its fold.
Mbah is expected to join the ruling party alongside elected national and state legislators, members of the state executive and party leaders from ward and local government levels across the state.
Nwoye said, “I am happy to announce to you that as at yesterday (Thursday), in the course of our discussion, political evangelism has started.
“We took it to the governor and he has promised and agreed to be part of us, to move this party and ensure that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu comes to Enugu State.
“For the past 10 years, Enugu State has remained in opposition. But all that will change on Tuesday, the 14th of October, 2024 when the governor will be declaring for the APC.
“And the governor is not coming alone. The governor is coming in with 260 ward councillors. They will be declaring with the governor. He will be coming in with the 24 members of House of Assembly.
“He will be coming in with members of the National Assembly. He will also be coming with the entire party executive members in the state. For the Nigerian project to work, the Igbo, the South must move forward.”
A source close to the Enugu State governor confirmed the likelihood of Mbah leaving the PDP to Weekend Trust but did not state when.
Inside sources told Weekend Trust yesterday that among the reasons for Mbah’s planned defection was due to the alleged failure of the PDP to ratify Sunday Udeh-Okoye as South-East’s choice to complete the remaining tenure of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who had won the party’s ticket and flew the party’s flag in the November 2023 Imo governorship election, which had pitted the party and its South-East causes.
It would be recalled that in their communique after the South-East Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) meeting at Government House, Enugu on May 14, the South- East PDP warned that it was fed up and might leave the party if it failed to ratify Udeh-Okoye as the national secretary for the umpteenth time.
Besides, the endless crisis in the PDP is also learnt to be another major factor fueling defections from the party, including the rumoured possible defection of Mbah.
Defections to APC
Recall that governors, senators, members of the House of Representatives and other party bigwigs who are members of the leading opposition PDP have been pitching tent with the APC in recent times.
Analysts have described the developments as strategic realignments with far-reaching implications on the 2027 general elections, pointing to moves to make President Bola Ahmed Tinubu winner of the 2027 presidential poll with landslide.
Recall that in April this year, Delta State governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, dumped the PDP for the APC.
He defected alongside a former governor of the state and ex-vice presidential candidate of the PDP, Ifeanyi Okowa, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, state party chairman, all the local government chairmen and many others.
Also in June, Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State dumped the PDP for the APC, alongside his cabinet members and lawmakers.
We’re preparing to win 2027 at all levels – Yilwatda
Speaking while inaugurating the caretaker committee, the APC national chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, said the party was working towards winning the 2027 general elections at all levels.
“We want to ensure that we have overwhelming success and outing in 2027. The Renewed Hope Agenda has achieved much. We are the foot soldiers of the Renew Hope Agenda. Promote it, sell it.
“Do well as a government. Encourage your party and your governor to ensure that the Renewed Hope Agenda unveils projects, social welfare of the people, social protection to ensure that we have a reason to go back to the grassroots and win the elections in 2027.
“You must coordinate the party to ensure that there is no division. You are brought in as unifiers. You are the unifiers we brought you to be,” he said.
APC using intimidation, inducement to lure governors, others – PDP
Meanwhile, the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party has reacted to the planned defection of Mbah to the All Progressives Congress, accusing the ruling party of deploying intimidation, harassment and coercion in wooing its governors and legislators.
Reacting to the defection planned for Tuesday next week and the rumoured defection of the Bayelsa State governor, Douye Diri, the national publicity secretary of the party said the APC was not only using intimidation and harassment but inducing members with money.
He, however, warned that no amount of defections would determine the outcome of the 2027 general elections, adding that Nigerians who are feeling the heat of the policies are not defecting to any party.
The PDP spokesman, who also spoke on the coming national convention of the party, said the party was not worried because the defections going on were not based on principle, adding, “There are induced by coercion, intimidation and harassment; and that has been the policy of the APC.
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