ENUGU – Over 500 members of opposition political parties have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, further swelling the ranks of the ruling party in the state.
The latest wave of defections took place during a rally held in Aku, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, where the defectors were formally received into the APC fold by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji.
He was joined by the APC State Chairman, Chief Ugochukwu Agballah, and other party leaders.
This development follows recent defections by some House of Representatives members who were elected under the Labour Party (LP) platform but joined the APC, citing internal crises within their former party.
Likewise, several Labour Party members in the Enugu State House of Assembly, along with their 2023 governorship candidate, Chijioke Edeoga, had earlier decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Amidst speculations that Governor Peter Mbah may also be considering a move to the APC — a claim he has denied — political realignments continue to shape Enugu’s political landscape.
Addressing the crowd, Minister Nnaji attributed the rising popularity of the APC in the state to the impactful projects being executed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
He also blamed the economic hardship in the state on the PDP-led administration, citing excessive taxation as a key issue.
“Today, Enugu ranks as the second most expensive city in Nigeria, despite being a civil service town. This reflects the economic quagmire the state is currently facing,” Nnaji stated.
He applauded Engr. Celestine Attah, a former House of Assembly candidate under APGA, for mobilizing members of APGA, LP, and PDP in the area to join the APC.
The Minister added that the APC is now strategically positioned to take over governance in Enugu State by 2027, calling on residents to support the party and re-elect President Tinubu to ensure more federal appointments and infrastructure are delivered to the state.
Also speaking, APC State Chairman Chief Agballah thanked President Tinubu for the ongoing reconstruction of the Ninth Mile–Opi–Makurdi Road, which is being upgraded to a dual carriageway, along with other federal projects ongoing in the state.
