As preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has pledged to consolidate its presence and capture political power across the South-East region.
This comes as Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, is reportedly set to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC on Tuesday next week.
The announcement was made during the inauguration of a new seven-man caretaker committee for the APC in Enugu State. The committee members include Dr. Ben Nwoye (Chairman), Hon. Eugene Odoh (Secretary), Fidelia Njoeze, Peter Chime, Dr. Oby Ajih, Dr. Chiedozie Nwafor, and Emma Ekeh.
Speaking at the event, APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, emphasized the need for unity and renewed efforts to expand the party’s influence in the South-East ahead of 2027.
He noted that the National Working Committee (NWC) had followed due process in dissolving the previous state executive and urged the new caretaker team to strengthen the party at the grassroots level.
“We are preparing for elections, and our goal is an overwhelming victory in 2027,” Yilwatda said. “The Renewed Hope Agenda is delivering results. Out of six promised cancer centres, three have already been completed. We’ve revitalized over 6,000 of the 10,000 primary healthcare centres targeted — and we’ll meet the full number in two years.”
Yilwatda also highlighted progress in revenue sharing and fiscal management under the Tinubu administration, stating that the average monthly allocation to states has risen significantly. He charged the committee to work closely with the governor to promote the Renewed Hope Agenda across the region.
“Promote it, sell it, and make it work for the people. Let them see the benefits of good governance so that we can return to the grassroots and win convincingly in 2027,” he added.
After the inauguration, Dr. Ben Nwoye, the caretaker chairman, told journalists that the committee would move swiftly to align Enugu with the national ruling party.
“We have taken our message to the governor, and he has agreed to join us in advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu,” Nwoye said. “Enugu has been in opposition for a decade, but that will change on Tuesday, October 14, 2024, when Governor Mbah officially joins the APC.”
According to Nwoye, Mbah’s defection will not be a solo move.
“The governor will be joined by all 260 ward councillors, 24 members of the State House of Assembly, National Assembly members, and the entire State Executive Council,” he revealed.
He added that Mbah’s transformative agenda in Enugu would now align with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, a development he described as politically significant for the region.
“Where Enugu goes, the South-East follows. In the last election, the opposition dominated here, but that will not happen again,” Nwoye declared. “With our team and the support of Governor Mbah, Enugu will be firmly in the APC fold by 2027.”
