On Sprouting Opposition Schemes in Enugu

Ifeanyichukwu Jaja writes that Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu state has remained unperturbed and focussed despite various schemings by opposition politicians since he formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress on October 14, 2025.

When on October 14, 2025 Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State officially joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), many observers held that the move has united the state for a progressive march to the centre of national politics.

It was the view of majority of Enugu people that the governor’s decision to call the bluff of the embattled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and subscribe to APC, effectively obliterated what remained of the fledgling opposition politics in the state.

Barely four months after the historic change of political direction in the Coal City State, there are some tell-tale signs of a concerted efforts in certain quarters to plant a semblance of opposition within the APC, ostensibly to distract Mbah and create the idea or rather impression of political crisis in the state in the buildup to the 2027 general election.

It could be recalled that while announcing his official declaration of membership of APC at a very elaborate and well-attended ceremony at the Michael Okpara Square, Independence Layout, Enugu, on that fateful October 14, Mbah boldly declared: “The vision of Enugu State has now found stronger reinforcement at the centre.”

The top-rated Governor explained that his decision to join APC was not whimsical, “but a collective move by the political family in the state, including members of the National Assembly, state executive council, local government chairmen, councillors, political appointees and party executives.”

He told the gathering of party stalwarts including the national leadership of the ruling party that, “after a long walk, we have decided to leave the PDP and join the APC, our vision has now found stronger reinforcement at the federal level

“I have thought carefully about the path forward and after soul searching and reflection, we decided to honour transparency and for the people we serve.”

Mbah, who enjoys a robust and close friendly relationship with President Bola Tinubu that preceded his emergence as governor, disclosed that “Enugu State has found in President Tinubu not just a leader for our nation, but a partner in purpose.”

He stated: “The President had not only shown a mere interest, but a deep vested interest in Enugu, recognising the state as a pillar of national progress and this is a time when we must make a bold choice to determine our destiny. Our move is bigger than politics but about alignment with the centre.

“The projects we have begun will be completed, our people are watching and what they care about the most is results. True leadership is about service to the people and not self and we need an ally that can match our ambition and a conscious step towards a more compelling future. This is a new beginning of a new era of progress.”

It is this new era of progressive national politics that some overzealous politicians from both within and outside Enugu State want to truncate by whipping up fresh weeds of oppositional political tantrums.

What makes the current attempt by some APC renegades very worrisome is that two months after becoming the leader of the party in Enugu State, Mbah reconciled the warring parties in the struggle for the chairmanship of the state chapter, Chief Ugochukwu Agballah and Dr. Ben Nwoye.

Agballah, who initially opposed Mbah’s entry into APC, allowed better political reason to prevail and knowing that all politics is local, broke away from the shadow of Governor Hope Uzodimma, who had been the “godfather” of Enugu State APC.

But, the event of October 14 could not be divorced from what happened in Abuja on October 7. On that date, one of Mbah’s rivals in the March 18, 2023 governorship election, Chief Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, handed in his resignation from office as Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MSTI).

According to Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Nnaji, who was appointed in August 2023 by the President, “resigned today (October 7) in a letter thanking the President for allowing him to serve Nigeria.”

The statement by Onanuga read: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accepted the resignation of Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, following some allegations against him. Nnaji said he has been a target of blackmail by political opponents. President Tinubu thanked him for his service and wished him well in future endeavours.”

While the scheme to distract Mbah is being worked out, Agballah, has continued to identify with Governor Mbah. The Udi-born politician led APC party faithful to pledge allegiance and solidarity to Governor Mbah, as well as embraced the leadership of Dr. Nwoye as the acting state chairman of APC in Enugu State.

Agballah, who was removed as state chairman following the dissolution of the APC Enugu State Working Committee by the national leadership of the party, recently declared that the entire Enugu people are united behind Governor Mbah and President Tinubu for a resounding victory in the 2027 general election.

Also, speaking at Udi/Agbudu Ward in Udi Local Government during the current e-registration of members, Agballah said: “Anybody in APC is APC. You cannot be in and not be loyal to Governor Mbah. You cannot be in APC and work against President  Tinubu.”

He extolled the leadership style of Mbah, stressing that the governor has united Enugu APC by accommodating all tendencies.

While the membership registration is going on, nothing has been heard of Agballah’s former ally, Uche Nnaji, who contested the governorship against Mbah in 2023.

It would be interesting to see how far Uche Nnaji can weave fresh opposition in Enugu State to make the election expensive or try to upstage the waving-making Governor of the East and the rave of the current republic, Dr Peter Mbah.

-Dr Jaja writes from Enugu.