…APC presents membership card to Enugu Gov
By Amaechi Agbo With Agency Report
The Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah has offered explanations on why he dumped the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) and joined the Ruling All Progressive Congress (APC)
Governor Mbah on Tuesday, in a move that has finally decimated PDP in the South-east, along with his deputy, Ifeanyi Ossai, the cabinet, the 24 House of Assembly members and the entire political structure in the state, dumped the opposition party for the ruling APC
Being the last PDP state in the South-east zone since the 2023 general election, the defection would certainly cause a major shift in the political calculus of the country.
With Enugu gone, PDP, once a ruling behemoth, no longer has any reckoning in a critical geo-political part of the country, the South-east, thus, making the 2027 elections a near-walk in the park for APC.
Governor explained that his defection was about fairness and give South East voice at the national level.
“Today 9Ocotber 14) marks a bold and historic chapter in our journey together. After deep reflection and consultations, I have led Enugu State to transition from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“For nearly three decades, our state and indeed the South East gave the PDP unwavering loyalty, carrying the party on our shoulders with commitment and sacrifice. Yet, when critical national decisions were taken, our voices were too often ignored. Leadership sometimes demands painful but necessary choices. Today, I have made one such choice in the interest of Ndi Enugu and our future.
“This is not about resentment. It is not about personal ambition. It is about fairness, respect, and partnership. Our people deserve to be heard at the centre of power. The PDP no longer represented a viable vehicle for our aspirations. To secure our future, we must align with a platform that values and reinforces our vision,” he said
Governor Mbah announced that he joined APC with all the elected political leaders under PDP and explained why APC is the better option for the region currently.
“We have joined the APC – not alone, but as a collective. Members of the National Assembly, the State House of Assembly, the Executive Council, all 17 Local Government Chairmen, councillors, political appointees, and over 80% of party executives in Enugu have made this journey with me.
“Why APC? Because I have found in His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, not just a national leader but a partner in courage and vision. Like us in Enugu, he has chosen bold reforms – removing subsidies, unifying exchange rates, confronting inefficiency, hard choices that free resources for the people. Together, we believe transformation must not stop at highways or balance sheets; it must reach every ward, every farmer, every trader, every entrepreneur.
“Already, Ndi Enugu, you can see what this vision has produced. It looks like Smart Green Schools rising across our communities and primary healthcare centres in all 260 wards. It looks like crime reduced by 80% through AI-embedded security systems and Distress Response Squads. It looks like water flowing again through restored mains, over a thousand kilometres of paved roads, and our Internally-Generated Revenue growing six times. It looks like Enugu Air connecting us to other cities, our International Conference Centre fully booked, 260 farm estates and eco-tourism projects creating jobs, and moribund assets like Hotel Presidential and Nigergas roaring back to life. It looks like Enugu proudly crowned Nigeria’s Model Green State.
“These are not promises; they are realities because you believed in us. Ndi Enugu, your trust is the bedrock of everything we have achieved, and I assure you that this decision will only accelerate our progress. Our Igbo identity does not change, our destiny does not change. What changes is that our voice is now stronger, our hand firmer, our future brighter.
“This is not a detour. It is a conscious step towards fairness, partnership, and accelerated growth. I ask for your understanding, your trust, and your continued support as we walk this new path together. Tomorrow is here – and with your support, the best of Enugu is yet to come.”
In attendance to receive the governor were former governors of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former Senate President Ken Nnamani, members of the National Working Committee of APC, Chairman and members of the caretaker committee.
Others were former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Edward Ubosi; Senator Osita Ngwu; Deputy Chairman (South) of APC, Emma Eneukwu; National Secretary of APC, Ajibola Basiru; Deputy National Organising Secretary, Chidi Duru; and National Woman Leader, Dr. Mary Alile.
…APC presents membership card to Enugu gov
The leadership of the All Progressives Congress has formally presented the party’s membership card to the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah.
According to the party, the presentation, which was held at the Lion building, Governor’s Office in Enugu, officially confirms the governor’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling party.
The APC announced the development in a post on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, shortly after Mbah publicly declared his decision to join the party in a state broadcast titled “Charting a New Course: Transition from PDP to APC.”
The post read, “The APC National Working Committee (NWC) has formally presented the Party’s membership card to the Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah @PNMbah, officially marking his entry into the APC.”
In his broadcast earlier on Tuesday, the governor said his decision to leave the PDP was not a personal or emotional move, but a strategic choice made after months of consultation.
He said the South East had been loyal to the PDP for decades but had often been “disregarded when it mattered most,” saying that joining the APC would ensure Enugu’s voice is heard at the national level.
He added that his decision to join the APC followed wide consultations across political, traditional, and religious lines.
“This is not about personal ambition. It is about ensuring that Enugu’s development is fully aligned with the policies and programmes of the Federal Government under President Tinubu. We are taking this step for the greater good of our people,” he said.
Mbah described President Bola Tinubu as “a partner in purpose and a leader with the courage to make tough choices for the country’s progress,” adding that the decision to switch parties was “a conscious step towards a more compelling future for Enugu.”
He also assured residents that all ongoing projects across the state, including Smart Green Schools, healthcare centres, and road networks, would be completed as planned.
He said, “Our Igbo DNA does not change; our destiny does not change. What changes is that our vision now finds stronger reinforcement at the federal level.”
Mbah, who was accompanied by key political figures from the state, including his predecessor, Ifeanyi Uguwanyi; members of the State Executive Council, National Assembly, and local government chairmen, said Enugu would now align more closely with the federal government’s Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, which targets the empowerment of 8.8 million Nigerians across 8,809 electoral wards.
Additional report by Punch
