ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has expressed surprise over the defection of Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), despite several reconciliatory efforts by senior members of the PDP.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, George said he never anticipated Mbah’s move, especially after the party had resolved internal issues and fixed the date for its national convention.
“I never saw it at any time. In fact, when Anyanwu was brought back as secretary to complete his assignment, he asked his people not to attend meetings. We were wondering what was going on in the South-East.
“Now that we have settled the matter and fixed the convention date, it’s only a question of time. Whatever position the East wanted to give him would have been his. So, what’s the essence of leaving now?” he said.
George, who is a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, revealed that several party leaders had visited Governor Mbah in a bid to persuade him to remain in the party.
“The governor, we all waded in and convinced him. Many people went there, telling him, ‘Calm down, the convention is next month. You’ll get whatever is due to the South-East.’ But the rationale and emphasis he gave, it was like I was in a very long dream,” George said.
While wishing the governor well in his new political journey, George maintained that the PDP remains strong and resilient despite recent defections. He also took a swipe at the ruling APC, describing it as a “private enterprise” owned by one man.
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“I wish him the best of luck. This is not the first time people are leaving. The PDP is an iroko tree. I wish them the best,” he added.
“The APC is owned by one man; he publicly said, ‘I own the party.’ That man is President Bola Tinubu,” George stated.
Mbah had earlier announced his defection to the APC on Tuesday morning during a state-wide broadcast in Enugu.
In his broadcast, Mbah expressed gratitude to the PDP for its support during his election, but said his decision to join the APC was a bold step driven by the need to better serve the people of Enugu State.
“Today, we have made the decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and join the All Progressives Congress,” he said.
“To the Peoples Democratic Party, which provided the platform on which we campaigned and won, I extend deep gratitude. For nearly three decades, the PDP and the people of Enugu State walked side by side, united by shared purpose.
“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,” he said.
Reacting to concerns that more PDP governors in the South-East might follow Mbah’s example, George insisted that the strength of the PDP lies not in its governors but in its grassroots supporters.
“Governors alone don’t make the party; they’re an added value. The people make up the party. We’ll campaign, go to the field, and explain to Nigerians what the APC has done, or failed to do, to put smiles on their faces. It’s not just about being in government. We’ll ensure that the will of Nigerians prevails,” he said.
When asked if he would ever consider defecting to another party, George’s response was emphatic: “That is absolutely impossible,” he said.
The PDP stalwart, despite recent challenges, expressed optimism about the future of his party, stressing that the PDP remains “absolutely redeemable.”