•Mbah ends PDP’s 26-year reign in Enugu, says devt vision guided decision to defect

Vice-President Kashim Shettima says Peter Mbah, governor of Enugu, has become the new leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state following his defection to the ruling party on Tuesday.

Shettima spoke during Mbah’s formal reception into the APC at Okpara Square, Enugu where thousands of former members and supporters of PDP converged to identify with the governor and the new party.

The vice president said, “As for the APC convention and constitution, the governor is the leader of the party in the state.”

“Your Excellency, you are now the leader of the APC family in Enugu state. I am the vice-president, but the leader of the APC in Borno is Governor Babagana Zulum.

“The president of the senate is the number three citizen, but the leader of the party in Akwa Ibom is Governor Umo Eno.

“The speaker of the house of representatives is the number four citizen, but the leader of the party in Kaduna is the governor of Kaduna state.”

He lamented that the south-east had been politically marginalised for over a decade, calling for greater inclusion under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

“For the past 12 years, the Ndigbo, one of the most vibrant ethnic groups in Africa, had been on the margin of Nigerian politics,” he said.

“But with the coming of Mbah and the continuous energy being exhibited by governors Hope Uzodimma and Francis Nwifuru, I believe the Ndigbo have come to the mainstream of Nigeria.”

Vice President Shettima, who led delegation of the party, said Mbah’s entry into the APC had “removed the South-East from the margin of Nigerian politics” and assured the region of greater inclusion in federal development plans.

He described the Igbo people as one of the “most economically enterprising, educationally ambitious and vibrant tribes in Africa,” lamenting that the region had “lagged behind in national affairs” in the past decade.

“Now with the coming of Governor Peter Mbah; with the continuous energy being exhibited by Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, I believe the Ndigbo have come to the mainstream of Nigerian politics,” he said.

Shettima described President Bola Tinubu as “a man for all seasons” who would ensure that the South-East’s interests were advanced. Turning to Mbah, he quipped: “I believe you had a broom hidden in your umbrella all these years, waiting for the right moment to bring it out.”

The APC has a broom as its symbol while the PDP features an umbrella. Shettima assured Mbah that he would be treated fairly in the party.

Also speaking, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said Mbah’s movement to the APC would bring more development to the South-East, noting that “the entire Southeast senators have turned to the APC.” He added humorously that Enugu “is even more beautiful than Abuja,” praising the state’s infrastructure and potential.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, also pledged equal treatment for Mbah, stressing that “no party can give you the platform to achieve all you want for your people better than the APC.”

Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, described Mbah’s decision as “bold and wise,” saying it had further strengthened Igbo reintegration into national politics.

APC National Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, commended Mbah’s record in office, declaring that the governor had “taken the people from Egypt to the Promised Land.”

“Today we are seeing the new Enugu State. The PDP cannot house the kind of progressive mind that you have,” he said.

Mbah described his defection as a “collective decision” by the political family in Enugu, including all 17 local council chairmen, 260 councillors, 24 members of the state House of Assembly, National Assembly members, and over 80 per cent of PDP executives.

“We thought carefully about the path forward,” he said. “After much soul-searching, we concluded that we must stand for principles and institutions that honour transparency, trust, and above all, the people we serve.”

He said Enugu’s long loyalty to the PDP had yielded little benefit for the state and the South-East region.

“For decades, we stood by the PDP, showing loyalty and patience, but our voices were often disregarded when it mattered most. We are confident of our future in the APC; we move not from fear or resentment, but from conviction and fairness.”

Mbah added that the switch was not about personal ambition but about aligning with “a federal platform that reflects our development vision.”

“President Tinubu has shown the courage to make hard choices that ensure lasting prosperity. Our visions align, that roads, railways, and industries must connect the South-East with the rest of Nigeria. This move is bigger than politics; it is about Enugu’s place in the national reform agenda,” he said.

The governor commended the President’s focus on grassroots governance and youth empowerment, describing Tinubu as “a leader who understands that renewal must reach the farmer, trader, and entrepreneur.”

The rally was attended by 12 sitting governors; former governors, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Sullivan Chime, and Rochas Okorocha, as well as senators Adams Oshiomhole, Ned Nwoko, Orji Uzor Kalu, Opeyemi Bamidele, and Osita Ngwu, among others

BEING FULL TEXT OF AN ADDRESS BY THE GOVERNOR OF ENUGU STATE, HIS EXCELLENCY, DR. PETER NDUBUISI MBAH, ON HIS FORMAL DECLARATION FOR THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC), TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2025

CHARTING A NEW COURSE: TRANSITION FROM PDP TO APC

I want to begin by expressing a deep gratitude to God and Ndi Enugu…

For we are indeed at a moment of reflection, gratitude and renewal.

Today, I stand before you, to announce a break from the past, and to share a decision that will shape the road ahead. This concerns our values, how we organize ourselves politically, and how we secure the future of our projects and our people.

I offer my sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed to this journey over the past 28 months.

At the top of that list is Ndi Enugu. At a time when confidence in political leaders had almost collapsed, you chose to believe in us.

When I declared that “Tomorrow Is Here,” it struck a chord in your hearts. You put aside long-held skepticism and stood by us. Without that trust, the transformation we see today would never have happened.

Let us pause for a moment and consider what this transformation looks like.

It looks like Smart Green Schools nearing completion and primary healthcare centres in all 260 wards.

It looks like crime down by 80%; Maternal, Under-5 and infant mortality rates reduced by 400 percent.

It looks like a Command and Control Centre with AI-embedded Security Surveillance System and 150 Distress Response Squad vehicles that guarantee safe streets and neighbourhoods.

It looks like water flowing again through new mains and restored supply.

It looks like over 1000 kilometres of paved roads.

It looks like Internally-Generated Revenue up 600%.

It looks like a fully booked International Conference Centre pouring money into our local economy.

It looks like direct flights taking off – with Enugu Air linking us to key cities across Nigeria and beyond.

It looks like 3 million visitors to Enugu by 2026 – with Nigeria’s first zipline, 4 immersive eco-tourist sites.

It looks like commuting in comfortable CNG buses at 5 world-class terminals; and having 260 Farm Estates that bring production to scale.

It looks like Hotel Presidential and Nigergas revamped; and several moribund assets roaring back to life.

Of course, it looks like winning the Renewed Hope Initiative’s Model Green State Award as the Cleanest State in Nigeria.

It looks like Enugu on the national – indeed global – map.

Ndi Enugu, Your trust and support have been the bedrock of our success, and we pledge to honour that by delivering on our election promises.

Our elder statesmen have also demonstrated generosity and foresight.

Many of you had witnessed decades of broken promises. When we approached you, we did not ask for blind loyalty but some faith in our vision.

You gave us that faith. Together, with your vote of confidence, we have achieved remarkable progress.

To my colleagues in the administration, I am grateful for your resilience. We have walked a path that often felt like a marathon without rest. Many of the ideas we put forward were dismissed as unrealistic. Yet you kept pushing the boundaries of what was possible.

Because of your dedication, today we hear applause for Enugu across Nigeria and beyond.

To the Peoples Democratic Party, which provided the platform on which we campaigned and won, I extend deep gratitude. The PDP supported us through a demanding campaign and joined in celebrating the victory.

For nearly 3 decades, the PDP and the people of Enugu walked side by side, united by shared purpose. Together, we built relationships that will always matter to me personally and to this state.

Yet, leadership sometimes demands difficult – even painful – decisions in the service of higher principles and goals. And there always comes a time when everyone must make a bold choice to determine their destiny.

Today, after a long reflection, we have made the decision to leave the PDP and join the All Progressives Congress.

This is no whimsical decision. It’s a collective move by the political family in Enugu State, comprising members of the National Assembly, members of the State House of Assembly, the State Executive Council, all the Local Government Chairmen and Councillors, all political appointees and over 80% of party executives.

Over the past months, I have thought carefully about the path forward. In the end, after much soul searching and discussion, I have concluded that we must stand for the principles and institutions that honour transparency, trust, and above all – the people we serve.

For decades, the South East – especially Enugu – has stood firmly behind the PDP, showing loyalty that shaped the party’s success.

Yet despite this history, our voices were too often disregarded when it mattered most.

It has therefore become necessary to seek affiliation where our interests as a region are represented in the form of fair partnership.

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.

Today, in joining the APC, we are embracing a visionary partnership.

I have found in His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, not just a leader of our nation, but a partner in purpose, a man with the courage to look beyond today and make the tough choices that secure lasting prosperity for tomorrow.

Together, we share a conviction that transformation must be bold and disruptive – that roads, railways, and airlines must stretch out from the heart of the South East; that Enugu’s promise, its security, its schools, its hospitals, its markets, its communities – must be reinforced.

The President has shown not only interest, but a deep and vested commitment to Enugu, one that recognizes our region as a pillar of national progress.

We both share a belief that renewal does not stop at the grand highways or the balance sheets. It must reach the ward, the village, our grassroots. It is in the daily life of the farmer, the trader, the young entrepreneur that reforms come alive.

We both welcome initiatives that decentralize opportunity, that strengthen the capacity of local government, that bring seed capital and credit to our youth, and that expand healthcare and education at the community level.

Just as we do in our ward-based development initiatives, these convictions are boldly expressed in the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, an idea conceived to empower over 8.8 million Nigerians across the country’s 8,809 electoral wards.

Yes, some choices demand sacrifice. Removing subsidies, unifying our foreign exchange markets, confronting crippling inefficiency – these are not easy decisions. But these are the smart choices that free resources for investment in our people.

His Excellency, the President has shown he is not afraid to make the tough decisions for a fair and stable nation. And here in Enugu, we have been just as audacious.

This move is bigger than politics – it is about alignment at scale. It is about connecting Enugu’s destiny with the central hub of broader reforms shaping our nation.

Of course, this does raise some questions:
Will the voice of Enugu be heard now in Abuja?

How will the change affect our progress at home?

How will your lives be touched by this decision?

Let me be clear, I will represent our state and our region with the same strength of purpose as I have always done. 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.

The progress you see today will not slow, and the projects we have begun will be completed. Yes, there have been challenges and delays along the way, but make no mistake – schools, hospitals, roads, and our services will be finished as promised.

To the political elite across the South East, I say this: our people are watching. What they care about most are results. True leadership is about service to the people, not service to self. Principles, not personalities, must guide us.

To Ndi Enugu, let me say this: this will not break our stride. We are a force of endeavour, and we need an ally who can match our ambition.

Let me reassure you – this is not a detour, but a conscious step towards a more compelling future.

As we begin this new chapter, I ask for your understanding, your trust, and your continued support.

Let us gather with renewed hope to build the Enugu – and the Nigeria – that our children deserve.

Finally, I want to express our most profound gratitude to Mr President for his support and encouragement of our vision. I’m confident this marks the beginning of a new era of growth and progress.

Thank you, and may God bless Ndi Enugu; God Bless Enugu State and God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Tomorrow is here….