Enugu’s political scene has been thrown into turmoil as Governor Peter Mbah’s anticipated move from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) deepens divisions within the ruling party in the state.
Multiple sources confirmed that the governor’s formal declaration to join the APC is slated for Tuesday, October 14, 2025, though there are indications the date might still change.
The APC’s National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and the Deputy National Chairman (South), Emma Eneukwu, had earlier this week dissolved the Enugu State Executive Committee and inaugurated a seven-member caretaker committee. The restructuring, according to insiders, is part of a larger plan to prepare the ground for Mbah’s defection.
Speaking shortly after his inauguration in Abuja, the new caretaker chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye, confirmed that Mbah would be joining the APC alongside key political figures across the state.
“Enugu has been in opposition for over a decade, but that will end on Tuesday,” Nwoye said. “The governor is coming with 260 councillors, 24 House of Assembly members, members of the National Assembly, and the entire state executive council. Political evangelism has begun, he’s coming with the full structure of the PDP in Enugu.”
Nwoye added that Mbah’s defection would strengthen the APC’s foothold in the South-East.
“Where Enugu goes, the South-East goes. Governor Mbah has transformed Enugu in two years and will now help anchor the Renewed Hope Agenda in the region,” he said.
The development has polarized the PDP in Enugu. While loyalists see the governor’s decision as a strategic political move, others accuse him of betraying the party that brought him to power.
The PDP Publicity Secretary in the state, Chief Uchenna Obute, described Mbah as the political leader whose direction determines the fate of the party in Enugu.
“We have made it clear that Peter Mbah is our party. Wherever he goes, that’s where we go,” he said.
However, several PDP members insist they will not defect with the governor. One state lawmaker accused Mbah of neglecting party members and failing to pay legislators their salaries and allowances for months.
A former National Auditor of the PDP, Chief Ray Nnaji, said only a fraction of party members would follow Mbah into the APC.
“Those going with him won’t be up to 20 percent of the PDP in Enugu,” Nnaji said. “He sidelined the very stakeholders who helped him win in 2023. Now he wants to defect because he’s seeking federal support ahead of 2027. That’s the real reason.”
Nnaji also accused the governor of alienating local contractors, referencing reports that Mbah preferred consultants from outside the state for major projects such as the Smart School initiative.
Mbah’s potential defection marks a historic shift in Enugu, which has been a PDP stronghold since 1999. If successful, it would give the APC its first sitting governor in the state and signal the party’s growing influence in the South-East.
Analysts say the defection could reshape regional alliances ahead of the 2027 elections, especially if other political heavyweights follow suit. However, internal resistance within the PDP suggests that the realignment may not be as sweeping as Mbah’s camp projects.
