By Obinna Uballa
Nigeria’s political landscape is bracing for a major shake-up as Governors Peter Mbah of Enugu State and Douye Diri of Bayelsa State prepare to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) next week, in what insiders describe as one of the most consequential realignments since 1999.
Barring last-minute changes, the two governors will formally declare for the APC on Tuesday, October 14, alongside a yet-to-be-named third opposition governor. The move, according to sources, has been sealed at the highest levels of both parties, with elaborate plans underway for a grand reception in Abuja.
In Enugu, the development is being described as a political “earthquake” that could completely upend the PDP’s 25-year dominance in the state.
A close aide to Governor Mbah told Saturday Vanguard that “the deal has been sealed,” confirming that the governor will join the APC with the entire PDP political structure. “The governor will land in APC, but I cannot confirm whether it will be on Tuesday or later next week,” the aide said.
APC sources revealed that in preparation for the defection, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) on Thursday dissolved the Enugu State Working Committee and appointed a caretaker leadership to oversee the transition.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new caretaker committee in Abuja, Enugu APC chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye, declared that Mbah’s entry would signal the final collapse of the PDP in the state.
“Political evangelism has started. Governor Mbah has agreed to move with us into the APC, and he is not coming alone. He’s bringing along the entire PDP structure – from councillors and state lawmakers to National Assembly members and the State Executive Committee,” Nwoye announced, drawing applause from party faithful.
APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, while inaugurating the committee, described the defection as a watershed moment for the ruling party and the South-East.
“APC is home for all – those who came yesterday, those coming today, and those who will come tomorrow. Our mission is simple: expand, win, and deliver victory in 2027,” Yilwatda said.
Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Emma Eneukwu, added that Mbah’s move would restore the South-East’s influence in national politics. “With Enugu in APC, the South-East has found its voice again. We will no longer play second fiddle,” he declared.
Party strategists believe that Mbah’s defection will open the floodgates for more defections in Anambra and Abia, giving APC its strongest foothold yet in the region ahead of 2027.
Why Mbah is Leaving PDP
According to sources close to the Enugu governor, Mbah’s decision to quit the PDP stems from three main grievances: The marginalisation of the South-East within the PDP; The party’s failure to ratify the nomination of Sunday Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary; and te PDP’s deepening internal crisis under its current leadership.
The Enugu PDP had repeatedly warned that the zone would “reconsider its relationship” with the party if Udeh-Okoye, the South-East’s consensus candidate, was not ratified to replace Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who resigned to contest the 2023 Imo governorship election.
At the party’s zonal meeting in Enugu in May, South-East PDP leaders, including former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, lamented the region’s continued neglect despite its loyalty since 1998. “We have been trampled upon for too long. It may be time to reconsider our future with this party,” Wabara had warned.
Diri’s Bayelsa Move Splits PDP Camp
In Bayelsa, Governor Douye Diri’s planned defection to the APC is also generating tension within the PDP. Multiple sources confirmed that Diri, who has been in quiet talks with APC leaders for months, has concluded consultations with key stakeholders, including former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“The consultations are over. The governor is going with members of the State House of Assembly and some National Assembly members,” a top Bayelsa legislator said. “The defection will happen next week.”
However, Diri’s move is facing stiff opposition from some PDP heavyweights, including his predecessor and political ally, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, as well as three out of the state’s five House of Representatives members, Fred Agbedi (Sagbama/Ekeremor), Maria Ebikake (Nembe/Brass), and Mietama Obordor (Ogbia).
Despite the resistance, sources close to the governor insist he has made up his mind, arguing that “there is no going back.”
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Daniel Alabrah, said he was not aware of any defection plan but did not deny the mounting speculation.
APC Plots Grand Welcome
According to insiders, the APC is planning an elaborate ceremony to receive Mbah, Diri, and other defecting governors, similar to the grand events that marked the defections of Governors Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta) and Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom) earlier this year.
“The party leadership wants to make it a major political statement,” a senior APC source said. “This will mark the moment the ruling party completes its dominance in the South-South and South-East.”
Endless PDP Crisis Fuels Exodus
Analysts say the defections underscore the PDP’s deepening internal crisis, with infighting and leadership disputes pushing key figures to the exits.
Governor Mbah had in June, during a visit by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, warned that the South-East might be forced to “review its continued membership” of the PDP if the leadership failed to address the region’s grievances.
