Amid Denials, PDP Govs Perfect Defection Plans As Suswam Rebuffs Joining APC

3 weeks ago 7

At slightest 3 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors person astir finalised plans to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The governors are Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Agbu Kefas of Taraba State, and Douye Diri of Bayelsa State.

Although Mbah is acceptable to formally defect connected Tuesday, the moves by Kefas and Diri are inactive astatine the consultation stage, LEADERSHIP Weekend has learnt.

However, portion spokespersons for governors Kefas and Diri person dismissed their principals’ defection arsenic rumours, authorities chapters of the PDP person remained evasive, saying they cannot remark connected the matter.
The governors are reportedly leaving the enactment implicit its protracted enactment crisis, which has seen astir of its cardinal figures either determination to the APC oregon articulation the absorption coalition, African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Interestingly, the anticipated defections travel hardly weeks earlier the party’s National Convention connected 15 November, successful which the 3 governors are integral members of the readying committee.
Months ago, Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno and his Delta counterpart, Sheriff Oborevwori, besides dumped the PDP for the APC, citing the aforesaid enactment crisis.

During the defections successful Uyo and Asaba, erstwhile APC nationalist president Dr Abdullahi Ganduje had revealed that much absorption governors and different chieftains would soon travel suit.
LEADERSHIP Weekend had exclusively reported earlier this twelvemonth that PDP governors were preparing to dump the party.

But addressing newsmen connected Thursday, PDP’s nationalist publicity secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba, admitted that immoderate governors were connected the verge of leaving but added that their exit wouldn’t impact the nationalist convention.

“Yes, we’re acrophobic arsenic a governmental party, but we are not deterred – because, similar I said, and I volition notation to that again – the bid for the 2025 elective normal of the PDP has figuratively arrived astatine Ibadan,” helium said.

He further accused the APC of orchestrating the defections done intimidation, coercion, and blackmail, each successful mentation for the 2027 wide elections.

Mbah Joins APC Tuesday

Barring immoderate alteration of plans, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah is acceptable to articulation the ruling APC connected Tuesday.

Hints of his imminent defection emerged astatine the inauguration of a seven-man caretaker committee for the APC successful Enugu State.

The APC besides vowed to instrumentality full power of the South East geopolitical zone.
The caretaker committee comprises Dr Ben Nwoye (Chairman), Hon Eugene Odoh (Secretary), and members Fidelia Njeze, Peter Chime, Dr Oby Ajih, Dr Chiedozie Nwafor, and Emma Ekeh.

The dissolution of the erstwhile enactment and assignment of the caretaker committee is successful anticipation of Mbah’s authoritative defection.

Inaugurating the committee, APC National Chairman Prof Nentawe Yilwatda stressed the request to fortify the party’s power successful the South East up of the 2027 wide elections.

Yilwatda said the party’s National Working Committee followed owed process successful dissolving the erstwhile enforcement and urged the caretaker committee to unite the enactment and guarantee APC’s occurrence successful aboriginal elections.

“We are moving towards elections. We privation to guarantee that we person overwhelming occurrence and outing successful 2027. The Renewed Hope Agenda has achieved much,” helium said.
Speaking to journalists aft the inauguration, Nwoye said the governor’s defection would people a turning constituent for the APC successful Enugu and the South East.

“For the past 10 years, Enugu State has remained successful opposition. But each that volition alteration connected Tuesday, 14 October 2024, erstwhile the politician volition beryllium declaring for the APC.

“And the politician is not coming alone; helium is coming with 260 ward councillors, 24 members of the House of Assembly, members of the National Assembly, and the full exco.’

A root adjacent to Mbah listed 3 reasons wherefore the politician was readying to permission the PDP.
He listed the nonaccomplishment of the PDP to ratify Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye arsenic South East’s prime to implicit the remaining tenure of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who had won the party’s summons and flew the party’s emblem successful the November 2023 Imo governorship election, had pitted the enactment and its South East causes.
He besides listed endless crises successful the PDP arsenic a large origin fueling defections from the party.

While reiterating the anticipation of South East and himself dumping the enactment during Governor Seyi Makinde’s involution sojourn to Enugu connected June 30, Mbah maintained that “we reserve the close to reappraisal our continued rank of the enactment if the enactment is unwilling to enactment its location successful order.”