- Seals Deal With Party Hierarchy
By Abiola Olawale
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah is reportedly set to be the next governor to exit from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The New Diplomat checks reveal that the recent massive exodus from the PDP is expected to continue over the forthcoming weeks and months.
This is as Mbah has reportedly finalized a deal with the hierarchy of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to defect from the PDP.
Sources privy to the matter who spoke with The New Diplomat confirmed that Mbah has reportedly sealed an agreement with APC’s top party hierarchy in Abuja.
The sources said Mbah’s purported decision to switch allegiance is part of political permutations and efforts to secure electoral advantage ahead of 2027.
However, amid the ongoing reports the Enugu State chapter of APC had declared a surprising stance.
Enugu APC Chairman Ugochukwu Agballah has vowed to block Mbah from joining the party.
Agballah accused Mbah of mismanaging Enugu and claimed the APC has a “competent and capable candidate” to challenge him in 2027.
He asserted: “We will not accept Governor Peter Mbah into our party.
“The Peter Mbah-led government has failed in its primary duty of protecting lives and property of citizens of Enugu state.”
Another source who spoke with the New Diplomat said the stance of Agballah will not hold any weight. The source said this is because the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC is working to bring in more governors into the party.
It would be recalled that the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, had revealed that more opposition governors will soon join the party.
Ganduje disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja when he formally received some leaders of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kano State, led by Senator Kawu Ismailia, who represents Kano South Senatorial District of Kano State, at the Senate.
He stated: “The governor of Delta State is now in APC, including his cabinet, including all the members of the state assembly and House of Representatives, and the timber and calibre of PDP, now in APC, even including the former vice presidential candidate coming into our party.
“So you can see that we are expanding. I don’t want to reveal our secret, but what I’m telling you is that APC 2027 is a done deal.
“More governors are coming into APC. I assure you, and in places where we have elections, APC, insha Allah, will win those elections.”
This also came after Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, the 2023 running mate to Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, joined the ruling party, along with National Assembly and state assembly members from the state.
