Ex-Enugu LG Chairman Warns Mbah Against Joining APC

Former Chairman of Udi Local Government Area, under the Peoples Democratic Party in Enugu State, Engr Nick Ozonsi, has warned Governor Peter Mbah against defecting to the All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Engr Ozonsi handed down the warning on Monday while featuring on the ‘Political Voices’ of Enugu-based 92.5 Dream FM.

In his view, Gov Mbah should remain in the PDP and contest his second term bid. He assured that the governor’s scorecard would make Enugu electorate vote for him massively.

He however stated that PDP would be adversely affected should the governor defect. In his words, “If he wants to leave PDP, nobody will hold him back. But PDP will feel the effects of his decamping. What I gathered is that unknown ghosts are haunting him within the PDP.”

He traced the dilemma of Gov Mbah to the intrigues of the national leadership of the PDP. He recalled that the PDP stakeholders of the South-East Region had warned that they might be forced to re-assess their position in the party if Mr Sunday Udeokoye was not made the national secretary of the party.

He said, “The Supreme Court did not rule in that favour. People suspect that there might be no room for Mbah to emerge from the PDP primaries come 2027. If he leaves PDP, we would still hold the tenets of the PDP. Some other aspirants will emerge.”

Ozonsi stated that contrary to some beliefs that Gov Mbah’s defection would be smooth, it would rather be resisted by some key players of the state APC. “There will be a problem between him and APC members that were already established in the party. Those of us who listen to news are beginning to think that there are obstacles on his way towards decamping to APC. The factor remains those holding the APC structure in the state, because whichever party the governor is joining, he should be the leader. But if those who are already on ground refuse to yield, it is going to be a problem for him.”

He, however, stated that Mbah’s chances for re-election in 2027 would be better guaranteed by his remaining in the PDP.

According to him, “Ninety percent of residents of Enugu State tell Mbah to remain where he is; that the same thing they did for him in 2023 will be repeated in the second term. It will take Enugu people many years before their slogan of PDP gets out of their month. If I were to be in the shoes of the governor, I would involve the people of Enugu State. There should be an invitation to key PDP stakeholders in the state, where he will explain to them the bottlenecks he is facing. Since we love him, we might declare that we are with him wherever he is going. But my prayer for him is to remain where he is until we see reasons why he should leave.”

THE WHISTLER reports that a faction of APC in the state, championed by a former state Chairman of the party, Dr Ben Nwoye, has invited Gov Mbah to join the party.

However, the mainstream arm of the party, led by Barr Ugo Agballa, is promoting the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, to fly the flag of APC come 2027 guber election in the state.