Mbah’s Likely Defection Unsettles PDP As Labour Party Secures Majority Seats In Enugu State Assembly

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, may lose one of its governors-elect, Peter Mbah of Enugu State,to the major opposition party in the state, the Labour Party, THE WHISTLER has learnt.

 The development has consequently unsettled the party following moves being made by the governor-elect to decamp to the Labour Party in order to have a stable administration, which begins on May 29.

Mbah, who is facing several post-election victory fights, is gearing up for a hostile relationship with the Labour Party as the PDP ceded control of the State Assembly to the LP during the March 18 governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

Several sources which include close aides and national party executives with adequate knowledge of the development said hostility with the assembly is not what the governor-elect wants.

Rather, they revealed that it is likely he would defect to the LP before the assembly is convened in June with the speaker expected to be elected from the platform of the LP.

According to an insider, the detachment of the PDP at the state level from the national headquarters following the emergence of the G-5 makes it even easier for Mbah to decamp.

“He could just cite confusion and crisis in the PDP as a result of division following the emergence of the G-5,” one of the G-5 sympathisers has said.

The G-5, led by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, opposed the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar and boycotted the presidential campaign of the PDP during the 2023 elections.

The group includes governors of Enugu, Abia, Benue and Oyo. While only the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, sought reelection for second term, the other unsuccessfully sought election into the Senate.

The PDP mocked the three defeated governors who contested the senatorial seats – Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Ikezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Samuel Ortom of Benue State, saying, unless they beat a retreat, their political future was over.

To avoid suspension, Wike and others filed suits against the party in court. The matter is still being heard.

The G-5 source who is also a lawyer said Mbah could cite the cases in court and the slamming of suspension as the basis for his defection if he feels strongly that the LP dominated house could pose a challenge to his administration.

According to the final announcement and publication of results by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the LP secured 14 seats to PDP’s 10 in the 24-member Assembly, according to the list of elected lawmakers in the state issued by INEC’s Head of Voter Education and Publicity in Enugu State, Rex Achumie.

While urging members of the public to disregard any unauthorised list posted on social media, Achumie said the list detailing the names, constituencies, parties and number of votes scored by the members-elect at the March 18 election as issued by the INEC sufficed and remained the only list that is authentic.

Mbah was announced the winner of the March 18 election polling 160,895 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the LP candidate, Chijioke Edeoga, who polled 157,552 votes.

The governor-elect is facing a certificate scandal in relation to a discharge certificate he tendered to the INEC ahead of the election, where he said was issued by the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC.

 But the NYSC denied the certificate saying, “We are pleased to inform you that the Certificate of National Service belonging to Mbah Peter Ndubuisi with Certificate Number: A808297 forwarded for verification was not issued by the NYSC.”

He is also fighting to validate his election following his surprising victory when the LP was leading before collation of results was stopped.

Sources hinted that he may defect to the LP to pacify the party and secure his seat.

It has also been gathered that his defection may be “as soon as he is sworn” in order to stop the suit challenging his electoral victory at the tribunal by the LP which has been reported to be “strong enough to reclaim our mandate.”

But the spokesman of the governor-elect, Nana Ogbodo, described the report as baseless and untrue.

He said it is being concocted by those who have been defeated and are “mourning.”

He pointed out that, it’s not knew for any governor in Nigeria to preside over a state with majority opposition lawmakers.

“Peter Obi became a governor in Anambra state without any member of his party in the state assembly. It doesn’t follow.

“It is a farcical narrative of these professional mourners. Some of them are hired to mourn at the loss of the labour party in Enugu.

“Labour’s presence is so flattened in the state that Peter Obi, having lost his presidential bid, the whole noise is simmering down and you want to tell me that he still has potency when PDP and its structure are strong.

“It is very laughable for anybody to conjecture that Mbah will decamp. There is no truth in it please.”

He argued that there would be no friction or instability as everyone knows his role.

“If indeed the governance in the state is not tailored towards development but if everybody knows his role and works according to the law, why should anybody be concerned about friction or instability?

“Why should there be friction? I don’t see any friction when everybody knows his remit and ambit within the law.

“This is not the first time … Peter Obi for instance, governed Anambra State effectively without any member of his party being a member of the house of assembly.

“There are still contentions. We have not even settled how many seats they have. This is just mere pronouncement by INEC. There are still people who have serious issues,” with their election into the state assembly, he said.

When contacted the spokesman of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba declared, “Why should we talk about something that will never happen? It would never happen.

“There are more pressing issues like Aishatu Binani declaring herself the winner that we should be talking about. It’s condemnable.”

He added that, “However, when we get to the bridge, we cross it but I can tell you it will never happen.”