Former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr Osita Okechukwu, has described the planned defection of Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a decisive moment signalling the end of the PDP’s influence in the South-East region.
Speaking in Enugu on Sunday, Okechukwu reacted to reports that Governor Mbah and several other elected officials under the PDP would formally join the APC on Tuesday.
APC Set to Receive Mbah and Supporters
According to earlier announcements, the APC is preparing a major rally at Okpara Square, Enugu, to officially welcome Mbah, alongside thousands of political officeholders and aides from the PDP. The event is expected to be graced by the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, who first hinted at the governor’s defection last Friday.
“A Defining Political Moment”
Okechukwu described Mbah’s decision as both “pragmatic and inevitable,” arguing that it represents the collapse of PDP’s once-stronghold in the region.
“The move by Mbah is a defining political moment and a clear signal that the South-East has finally bid the PDP farewell,” he said. “This is the same party that governed all five South-East states in 1999, but by 2025, it will have none.”
PDP’s Decline and Zoning Controversy
Okechukwu also referred to a past statement by the late Dr Chuba Okadigbo, who lamented that the PDP “pays good deeds with bad coins,” saying Mbah’s defection confirms that sentiment.
He accused the PDP of disregarding fairness and equity, especially during the 2023 elections when the party allegedly violated the long-standing zoning arrangement. He further cited the “marginalisation of the South-East” during the struggle for the position of National Secretary as the final trigger for the party’s decline in the region.
“A Party That Failed Its Loyal Members”
According to Okechukwu, the PDP’s history of neglect, betrayal and disregard for its faithful members pushed Mbah and other leaders to seek refuge in the APC.
“Mbah’s defection is not an isolated case,” he said. “It represents the final chapter in the South-East’s disappointment with a party that could not reward loyalty, fairness, or friendship.”