Umar Sani, former spokesman to ex-Vice President Namadi Sambo, has stirred controversy by asserting that Peter Mbah did not legitimately win the 2023 Enugu State governorship election.
His comments come in the wake of Governor Mbah’s recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on the political upheavals, Sani insisted that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) remains resilient despite waves of defections.
He described the party’s current challenges as “externally induced” rather than the result of internal discord.
“What is happening within the PDP is being orchestrated by fifth columnists,” Sani said, suggesting that forces outside the party are attempting to destabilise it.
Addressing Mbah’s move to the APC, Sani dismissed concerns that the governor’s defection would weaken the PDP in Enugu, a state long considered a stronghold of the party.
“Mbah’s defection will not rattle the PDP because he is swimming against the tide. In fact, he did not even win the election,” he claimed.
Official results from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Mbah the winner of the 2023 polls with 160,895 votes.
His closest challenger, Chijioke Edeoga of the Labour Party, secured 157,552 votes, giving Mbah a narrow margin of roughly 3,300 votes.
Edeoga’s camp had previously rejected the outcome, alleging electoral fraud and irregularities, particularly in Nkanu East Local Government Area, where claims of over-voting were raised.
Supporters argued that key evidence of malpractice was ignored by the tribunal, leaving the legitimacy of Mbah’s victory in question.