Raphael Kanu
The political landscape of Enugu State took a dramatic turn on Monday as all appointees of Governor Peter Mbah dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and declared for the All Progressives Congress (APC) — barely 24 hours before the governor’s own formal defection.
The wave of defections followed an extended cabinet meeting held at the Government House in Enugu, which was presided over by Governor Mbah. According to reports, the session ended with unanimous declarations of loyalty to the APC, effectively marking the collapse of the PDP-led administration in the state.
Confirmation of the mass defection came through a video posted by Mbah’s Media Aide, Dan Nwomeh, showing several government officials brandishing APC flags while chanting slogans in praise of the governor.
“Enugu State Cabinet Members join the APC with full chest along with Governor PN Mbah,” Nwomeh wrote on his social media page, identifying some of the key figures in the move: the Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Lawrence Ezeh; the Chairman of the Science, Technical and Vocational Schools Management Board, Dr. Amaka S. Ngene; and the Commissioner for Labour and Employment, Dr. Felix Nnamani.
In the video, the excited officials could be heard echoing support for President Bola Tinubu, chanting: “We are now in APC, tomorrow is here; it is APC all the way; it is Jagaban all the way; from top to bottom.”
The defection appears to have gathered near-total backing from Mbah’s political structure. Apart from commissioners, special advisers, senior aides, and other cabinet-level officials have all pledged allegiance to the APC ahead of the governor’s official declaration.
The mass exodus from the PDP also claimed another high-profile figure — the State Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Martin Chukwunwike, who tendered his resignation on Monday. Chukwunwike is expected to join Governor Mbah in formally declaring for the APC at a rally scheduled for Tuesday at the Michael Okpara Square in Enugu.
Meanwhile, arrangements for the event are already in full swing. Messages circulated to the 17 local government chairmen have directed them to mobilise party faithful to the venue for the official defection ceremony, which political observers describe as the final seal on PDP’s long-standing dominance in the state.
The coordinated move is being viewed as one of the most sweeping political realignments in Enugu’s recent history — a development that could reshape the state’s power structure and redefine its relationship with the ruling APC at the national level.