Between the intrigues in Enugu politics and the prophecy of Umeha

The defection of Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, and the entire Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structure, in Enugu State to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, 14th October, 2025, marks a significant moment of political realignment in South East politics and Nigeria at large. Since the dawn of the Fourth Republic in […]

The defection of Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, and the entire Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structure, in Enugu State to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, 14th October, 2025, marks a significant moment of political realignment in South East politics and Nigeria at large. Since the dawn of the Fourth Republic in 1999, Enugu State, had somehow been a major stronghold of the PDP producing successive governors from 1999 up till date. 

Whilst the other Southeastern states, at one point or the other, broke away from the PDP, Enugu State remained intact and for a while, it looked like it was not going to be affected by the Progressive Wind that had descended on southern Nigerian political firmament with states like Delta, and subsequently, Akwa Ibom being its first ‘casualty’.

So, when word went to town late last week that, Governor Peter Mbah and the entire PDP structure in Enugu State would be defecting to the APC, not a few persons received the news with shock as some politicians in the region had earlier fanned the embers of negative narrative to perpetuate their hold on power for as long as it could serve their interest. 

For the most part it worked until Senator Rochas Okorocha in Imo, Chris Ngige in Anambra and later, Engineer David Umahi in Ebonyi, through their respective defections into the APC, laid the foundation for what may be described as its now-established status in South East politics. 

Yet, whilst its early success was marked in Imo, Abia, Anambra, and elsewhere, Enugu State remained insulated.

However, what seemed like an impossibility at one time, began to gain traction with the audacious defection of Rt. Hon. Barr. Sunday Cyriacus Umeha – a member representing Ezeagu-Udi Federal Constituency in the National Assembly into the party earlier in the year. Faced with the declining fortunes of the Labour Party and its inability to resolve its hydra-headed leadership crisis, Hon. Umeha was fixed in a situation where he had to take a position; not for his own personal interest, but in the interest of the good people of Ezeagu-Udi Federal Constituency, and Ndi Enugu at large who looked up to him for leadership. 

The stakes were high. As a first-timer in the House of Representatives, Hon. Umeha knew he had to make a calculated decision that stood the best chance of guaranteeing re-election in 2031; of course, with the support of his constituents who have so far reaped the dividends of his brief stint in the 10th National Assembly.

The deep fissures in the PDP had not become so wide as they are today, so, there was the option of defecting to the PDP at the time in the face of Labour Party’s unending crisis. But in what is proving to be a political masterstroke, after wide consultations with Enugu stakeholders and constituents, Hon. Umeha, in 2025, formally defected to the ruling APC. 

What was a solo move at the time, and described in some quarters as political suicide, would later open the floodgates of similar defections of elected members of the National Assembly from Enugu State, into the APC, in a manner that put it beyond doubt that they were following the lead of Hon. Umeha. From Hon. Prof. Paul Sunday Nnamchi to Hon. Chimaobi Atu and most recently, Senator Kelvin Chukwu, to keep the list short, the APC has since gone on to reap bountifully from the Enugu caucus of the National Assembly. 

And with Governor Peter Mbah’s defection, it may be well said that the last nail has been driven into the coffin of the PDP and Labour Party in Enugu State. 

Not to be undone by accolades, true to his nature, Hon. Umeha argues that, irrespective of political platforms, the people of Enugu State must remain at the centre of governance. And so, while the ‘Broom Revolution’ may have taken over Enugu State, he calls on the leaders of the party in the state to remain focused and committed in delivering the Renewable Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for that is the only way, this new political reality in the state can positively impact the people.

 

Raymond Nkannebe, the Special Adviser to Barr Sunday Cyriacus Umeha, on Media and Publicity, wrote from Enugu.