Enugu State Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah has joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying his decision was driven not by fear or pressure but by a commitment to lead the state toward prosperity and align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda.
The APC strengthened its presence in the Southeast on Tuesday following Mbah’s defection, making him the third governor from the five-state zone to join the ruling party.
The party rolled out a grand reception attended by top leaders and supporters to welcome Mbah and his delegation. Vice President Kashim Shettima led the event, alongside APC National Chairman Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, and Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) Chairman Hope Uzodimma.
Governor Mbah said his defection was not motivated by fear but by his desire to take Enugu and its people on a path of shared prosperity.
“We are not moving from a place of resentment or fear. We are confident of our future. We have no axe to grind, no personal point to make. But fairness, respect, and integrity must guide our choices for that future to be ours,” he said.
He described President Tinubu as “a partner in purpose and a leader with the courage to make tough choices for lasting prosperity,” adding that his administration’s vision aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Before the main event, Mbah formally announced his defection during a town hall meeting attended by national and local APC leaders, elected officials, and appointees.
Those present included APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru, Deputy National Chairman (North) Alhaji Ali Dalori, and his southern counterpart Chief Emma Eneukwu.
The official ceremony later took place in the afternoon, where Shettima, Yilwatda, and other party leaders formally received the governor into the APC.
Shettima described the day as “a great day for the nation and for Ndigbo,” quoting Kenyan scholar Ali Mazrui, who once likened the Igbo to “the Nigerian Jews — mobile, enterprising, and ambitious.”
“With the coming of Governor Peter Mbah, and with the continuous energy being exhibited by Governors Hope Uzodimma and Francis Nwifuru, I believe Ndigbo have come back to the mainstream of Nigerian politics,” Shettima said.
He hailed Mbah as “a progressive through and through,” declaring him the APC’s new leader in Enugu State.
“From our constitution, the governor is the leader of the party in his state. You are now the leader of the APC family in Enugu. We are one big family tied in a common destiny,” he said.
Shettima noted that the wave of defections from opposition parties reflects the growing strength and unity within the APC.
He said: “Much has been said about the ongoing wave of defections to our great party.
“What the opposition has failed to do is look into the mirror to ask why the APC remains the preferred destination of Nigeria’s most visionary political actors.”
“Their departures are not accidents; they reveal the cracks in the walls they built and the strength of the bridges we have constructed.
“The APC has become a political home where ideas find expression, where ambitions find direction, and where patriotism finds partnership.”
