Mbah, Diri Set To Dump PDP For APC

AFTER months of speculation, Governors Peter Mbah of Enugu State and Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State have concluded plans to dump the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Vanguard report, while Mbah has got the nod of PDP stakeholders in Enugu to move, Diri is facing stiff opposition from several National Assembly members, including his predecessor and backer, Senator Seriake Dickson.
Ahead of the defections next week, the APC National Working Committee (NWC) has dissolved the State Working Committee (SWC) in Enugu State and appointed a caretaker committee, led by Ben Nwoye.
However, when contacted, an aide of the governor initially said he counld not confirm or deny the epeculation, but later said: “The governor will land in APC, but I don’t know whether or not it will be on Tuesday.”
Nwoye told the newspaper in Abuja that Mbah would formally defect on Tuesday, October 14, alongside all 260 ward councillors, 24 members of the House of Assembly, National Assembly members and the entire PDP SEC.
According to him: “Political evangelism has started. We went to the governor and he has agreed to move with us into APC. He is not coming alone; he is coming with the whole structure of Enugu PDP.”
At the inauguration of the Enugu APC caretaker committee in Abuja, the party’s National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, charged the new leadership to consolidate the shock defection into a lasting political conquest.
“APC is home for all. The person who came yesterday, today or tomorrow has equal rights. Our goal is simple- to expand, to win and to deliver overwhelming victory in 2027.”
Deputy National Chairman (South), Emma Eneukwu, added: “We will no longer play second fiddle. With Enugu in APC, the Souteast has found its voice again.”
Nwoye stated: “Where Enugu goes, the Southeast goes. Never again will opposition dominate our region. Mbah has transformed Enugu in two years. Now, he will anchor APC’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the SoutheEast.”
For Diri, news of his possible defection has been in the open since Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno dumped PDP and joined APC.
Diri’s game plan in Bayelsa
According to Vanguard, he would have joined APC earlier bur for the internal disagreement within the leadership of the party in the state and opposition from the camp of former minister of state for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva.
It was gathered that Diri had consulted former President, Goodluck Jonathan, and some elders, as well as secured the nod of majority of the House of Assembly members.
However, Dickson and Senator Benson Agadaga, three out of the five House of Representatives members- Fred Agbedi (Sagbama/ Ekeremor), Maria Ebikake (Nembe/Brass) and Mietama Obordor (Ogbia) are staying behind.
A lawmaker said: “There is no going back on the governor crossing to the APC. We have passed the stage of consultation. The governor is going with members of the House of Assembly, though not all of us are going.
“Also, some members of the National Assembly are not going. Senator Konbowei Benson is going with the governor. The defection may be next week.”
But Diri’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, said he was not aware of any such plan.