Former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) and founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has described the rumored defection of Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a turning point that signals the Southeast PDP collapse.
Speaking with journalists on Sunday, Okechukwu said Mbah’s expected move to the APC represents a historic political shift, ending over two decades of PDP dominance in the Southeast region.
“Governor Mbah’s defection is not an isolated act but the final chapter in the Southeast’s loss of faith in the PDP. The Southeast PDP collapse has been long in the making,” he said.
PDP’s Decline and Broken Promises
Okechukwu recalled the words of late statesman Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, who once warned that the PDP “pays good deeds with bad coins.” He argued that the current situation proves Okadigbo right, noting how the PDP repeatedly ignored fairness and equity in its decisions.
He particularly faulted the party’s handling of the 2023 presidential primary, where no southern aspirant was allowed to contest, describing it as a violation of the zoning principle that had sustained Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.
“That was the moment the PDP lost its moral compass,” Okechukwu stated.
According to him, the Southeast PDP collapse is the result of years of neglect, betrayal, and marginalization by the party. From having all five Southeast governors in 1999, he said, the PDP will soon have none by 2025 — a clear reflection of its dwindling relevance.
Fallout from Internal Disputes
Okechukwu also cited the unresolved National Secretary controversy, where the PDP allegedly sidelined the Southeast’s candidate, Sunday Udeh-Okoye, despite repeated appeals from the region. He referenced the communiqué issued by the PDP South East Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) in May 2023, warning that the region would “reconsider its relationship with the PDP” if its concerns were ignored.
He further mentioned comments by Senator Adolphus Wabara, former Senate President and PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, who had earlier condemned the continued neglect of the Southeast despite its loyalty since 1998.
“A Rational Move”
Calling Governor Mbah’s decision “pragmatic and inevitable,” Okechukwu said the Southeast PDP collapse reflects the region’s desire for political relevance and fairness under a new platform.
“The Southeast has finally realized that loyalty without justice is slavery. Governor Mbah’s move is both rational and symbolic,” he concluded.
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