Enugu Governor Peter Mbah Set to Abandon PDP for Ruling Party APC

The political landscape of the South-East is on the brink of a massive realignment as the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, is reportedly set to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) next week. This high-profile switch, coming less than three years into his tenure, signals a potentially decisive shift in the region’s political allegiance ahead of the crucial 2027 general elections.

Dependable NG reports that the imminent defection was officially revealed by the APC national leadership during a key event in Abuja on Friday, with the National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, and the Deputy National Chairman, South-East, Hon. Emma Eneukwu, confirming the move. A reporter for Dependable NG present at the APC national headquarters noted that the announcement was made during the swearing-in of the newly inaugurated members of the Enugu State caretaker committee, led by former state chairman, Ben Nwoye, suggesting that the ruling party has already laid the necessary internal groundwork to receive the incoming governor and his formidable political structure.

This development is widely viewed as a major victory for the APC’s quest to consolidate its presence in the South-East, a region historically dominated by the PDP before the recent rise of the Labour Party. Mbah’s move is expected to not only decimate the PDP’s influence in the state—which it has controlled since 1999—but also significantly strengthen the APC’s bargaining power at the national level. Sources close to the APC national leadership have hinted that Governor Mbah’s decision to align with the centre is motivated by a desire to bring more tangible federal projects and political benefits to Enugu State, a common rationale for cross-carpeting among governors in the country.

The governor is scheduled to formally announce his defection at a grand event in the state capital next Tuesday. Chairman of the newly sworn-in caretaker committee, Dr. Ben Nwoye, confirmed the development and stressed that the defection would be comprehensive, with the governor joining the ruling party alongside all his appointees, including members of the State House of Assembly and local government functionaries. This mass defection underscores the scale of the political shift and is expected to set off a chain reaction across other states in the South-East zone. Furthermore, political rumour mills are currently in overdrive with unconfirmed speculations that Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, another PDP stalwart, is also finalizing plans to jump ship and join the APC, potentially signaling a wider crisis for the main opposition party.