Mbah set to join APC as caretaker committee shops for S’East governors
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced that Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State will officially declare for the ruling party on October 14, 2024, alongside members of his cabinet and the state legislature, in what party leaders describe as a “political evangelism” aimed at transforming the Southeast’s political landscape.
The disclosure was made by Ben Nwoye, the newly inaugurated Enugu State APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, during the committee’s inauguration in Abuja on Friday.
He said the move would mark the end of Enugu’s decade-long stay in opposition politics.
“I’m happy to announce that on Tuesday, October 14, the governor will be declaring for APC and he’s not coming alone.
“He’s coming with 260 ward councillors, 24 members of the House of Assembly, members of the National Assembly, and his entire executive council,” Nwoye said.
According to him, the planned defection will merge Governor Mbah’s “transformative agenda” with President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda,” which he claimed had already begun to impact Enugu’s development trajectory.
Nwoye lamented that the APC only polled 3,774 votes in Enugu during the last election, calling it a “shameful” outcome that the new leadership was determined to change.
“We have started political evangelism. We took the message to the governor, and he has agreed to be part of us to ensure the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu comes to Enugu State,” he said.
He cited improvements in internally generated revenue (IGR) and infrastructure as evidence of Enugu’s readiness for greater political integration, boasting that the state now ranks fifth nationally in IGR and leads the Southeast in economic performance.
“In less than two years, Governor Mbah has turned Enugu into a front-line state, 260 smart schools, 260 healthcare centres, 260 farm estates, and new industries are springing up,” Nwoye added.
“It’s time to align with the national vision.”
He also said Enugu would soon host the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) national conference, after it was moved from Rivers State, citing this as a sign of the state’s growing prominence.
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Speaking at the inauguration, Nentawe Yilwatda, the APC National Chairman, charged the caretaker committee to rebuild and expand the party’s membership base in Enugu while maintaining unity and inclusivity.
“Leadership is a burden and a responsibility. You can’t throw away those who built the party because you want new members,” Yilwatda warned.
“Everyone; old and new must have equal rights and access as enshrined in our Constitution.”
The APC chair said the dissolution of the previous state executive followed due process, including a legal review and consideration of petitions.
He urged the new leadership to avoid factionalism and embrace even their political opponents as partners in progress.
“Even your enemies must become your friends. You took an oath to serve the party, not personal interests,” he said.
Yilwatda emphasized that the party’s focus must be on consolidating gains from President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and preparing for an “overwhelming outing” in the 2027 general elections.
“Under Renewed Hope, three cancer centres have been completed, over 6,000 primary health centres revitalised, and revenue shared among states has increased from ₦400 billion monthly to about ₦2.25 trillion,” he said.
