•Mbah and Ologunagba
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it is disappointed by the defection of the Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
It urged serving governors in the PDP to continue to recognise their role as leaders in the opposition party entrusted with political power by the people who voted for them.
“The PDP is utterly disappointed by those actions, having regard to what we know behind the scene. But having said that, people have a right to decide what they want to do; the consequences can follow,” the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Debo Ologunagba, said on Channels Television today.
Ologunagba also said that the PDP was aware of moles undermining the party’s progress.
‘Moles Within PDP’
He, however, assured that the PDP national convention scheduled to be held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November would help rejuvenate the party from its foundation and reposition it for future elections.
“There are some people from within our fold that continue to undermine the party and its progress. We recognise that, but we are dealing with that.
“I compare this to a situation where you have a madman in a China shop; you must be methodical, you must be deliberate in trying to exit that.
“As a party, we are focused on the Nigerian people; we don’t want to put too much premium on the individual because it is not based on individuals; it is based on the people, and that is our strength,” he said.
“And we are going to go to Ibadan, coming out victoriously with a brand new National Working Committee that will continue to steer the affairs of the party. You must have a party before you can talk about candidates.
“So, that’s what we want to do — create a very solid foundation, find the people who have character, integrity, and capacity and courage to run the affairs of the party so that Nigerians can then have a choice,” he added.
‘No Betrayal’
Mbah officially dumped the (PDP for the APC yesterday during a state-wide broadcast to the people of the state.
He said the move was not a betrayal but driven by the need to better serve the interests of the people of the state.
“This is not a betrayal; it is also not abandoning.
“It is more about thinking I was entrusted with the people’s mandate by the people, and it is also a cost on me carrying that same mandate on a platform that will best serve the people,” the governor told journalists shortly after announcing his defection.
Mbah’s defection came months after his former PDP counterparts, Governor Sheriff Obvwevori and Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno moved to the ruling party with all their officials and appointees earlier in the year.
With the latest defection, the opposition party currently has nine serving governors out of the 36 state governors in Nigeria.
