Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State is reportedly set to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) next week, in what could mark one of the most significant political realignments in Nigeria’s South-East ahead of 2027.
The disclosure was made on Friday in Abuja by APC National Chairman, Dr. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, and the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South-East), Chief Emma Eneukwu, during the inauguration of the newly constituted Enugu State APC caretaker committee.
The committee, now led by former APC state chairman Ben Nwoye, was sworn in at the party’s national headquarters. Speaking at the ceremony, Nwoye confirmed that Governor Mbah would officially announce his defection next week, accompanied by members of his cabinet and political appointees.
“The governor will be joining the APC with all his appointees,” Nwoye said, describing the move as a “homecoming” that would strengthen the party’s base in Enugu and the South-East region.
Governor Mbah, who took office under the PDP in May 2023, is widely regarded as one of the party’s most prominent figures in the South-East. His potential defection to the APC could reshape regional power dynamics and boost the ruling party’s influence in a zone traditionally dominated by the opposition.
The development comes amid growing speculation that Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas, another PDP governor, may also be considering a move to the APC — part of what analysts describe as an ongoing realignment of political forces ahead of the 2027 general elections.
If confirmed, Mbah’s defection will make him the second sitting South-East governor to join the APC in recent years, signaling renewed efforts by the party to expand its foothold across the region.
The governor’s office has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
