ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Enugu State’s capital city is agog as all is now set for the governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, to join the All Progressives Congress, APC, today.
To receive Mbah into the party are the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima; President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas; the APC National Working Committee (NUC) led by the National Chairman of the party, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; over dozen governors as well as ministers, federal lawmakers and appointees, among others.
This is even as various critical segments of the state as well as Ohanaeze Ndigbo have thrown their weight behind Mbah’s decision to move into the APC, while a former Chairman of the party in the state, Hon. Augustine Nnamani maintained that PDP has itself to blame for precipitating the mass exodus from the party in Enugu State.
Meanwhile, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Enugu State Chapter, has applauded Mbah, “for taking the bold step of joining the ruling APC,” adding that “this decision is both thoughtful and timely, considering the compelling need to attract more federal government projects to Enugu State.”
In a statement signed by Ohanaeze’s Vice President General representing Enugu State, Prof. Fred Eze and the National Treasurer, Dr. Peter Aneke, the apex Igbo socio-cultural body, reiterated its commitment for the zoning arrangement in the state.
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“We remain committed to upholding the long-standing zoning tradition for the office of the Governor, in the spirit of equity, fairness, and justice in Enugu State,” the statement read.
Also, the Chairman, Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Samuel Asadu, said Mbah had earned national acclaim and the trust of the people by his “trailblazing performance and grassroots-oriented development in the last 26 months“, hence their support for him “is blind to party.”
“Therefore, the traditional rulers and people of Enugu State have absolute trust in his judgement. We wish him the best as he chats this new political course because it is rooted in the good of Enugu State. it is all about the people,” he stated.
Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Enugu State chapter, Hon. Okechukwu Edeh, expressed the readiness of the people to move in the direction of the governor.
“As we have said earlier, Governor Peter Mbah is the political party Enugu State knows today. Besides, we believe that this is a wise decision, more so, when it was stated earlier that we would chart a new political course when our voices no longer counted in the other political party,” he stated.
Reacting, former state Chairman of the party, Hon. Nnamani said he was not surprised by the mass exodus from the party, saying that the party “mistreated and betrayed the people of the South-East” and Governor Mbah by its failure to recognise Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary in line with established tradition in the party.
“The PDP chose a few people in Abuja over and above the South East. And Mbah has exited as spelt out in their region’s communique in May to leave the party if its choice was not respected,” he added.
He regretted that the crisis in the PDP and injustice to the region had cost the party one of the best performing governors presently in Nigeria and reduced the PDP from controlling the five South East states to losing everything.