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 All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, George said he did not anticipate the move despite several reconciliatory efforts by senior PDP figures to resolve internal issues in the party.
“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?” George said.
The PDP Board of Trustees (BOT) member revealed that several party leaders had met with Governor Mbah 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,” he added.
While wishing the governor well, George maintained that the PDP remains strong and resilient despite recent defections. He also criticised the ruling APC, describing it as a “private enterprise” owned by an individual.
“I wish him the best of luck. This is not the first time people are leaving. The PDP is an iroko tree. The APC is owned by one man; he publicly said, ‘I own the party.’ That man is President Bola Tinubu,” he said.
Recall Guardian reported that Mbah, in a public address on Tuesday, noted that while he has changed political parties, the cultural and regional identity of Enugu remains the same.
The governor explained that the decision to join the APC was based on the need for stronger representation and better alignment with the federal government to support development projects in the state.
“Let me be clear, I will represent our state and our region with the same strength of purpose as I have always done. Our Igbo DNA does not change; our destiny does not change. What changes is that our vision now finds stronger reinforcement at the federal level,” Mbah said.
He assured residents that all ongoing projects in the state, including schools, hospitals, roads, and other services, would be completed as promised.
Despite the development, George expressed optimism that the PDP remains “absolutely redeemable” and will continue to play a significant role in Nigeria’s political landscape.
