By Dr. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia (Ozowaluona)
There is jubilation across Enugu State as His Excellency, Barrister Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, is expected to officially join the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Dr. Michael Okpara Square on Tuesday, October 14, 2025. This historic political realignment has ignited excitement for two key reasons.
First, the people of Enugu State are eager to affirm a timeless truth; that leadership is not about party colouration but about performance, vision, and integrity.
When an incumbent governor discharges his duties creditably, fulfills the expectations of his office, and inspires confidence among his people, he earns legitimacy that transcends political lines.
Governor Peter Mbah has done just that. He has proven himself a visionary; a man who wills into existence what others only dream of, and pursues its actualization with courage, intellect, and unwavering focus.
His governance model is innovative, creative, and disruptive in the most positive sense. Within just two years, he has demonstrated that a State government can achieve remarkable results with clear vision and disciplined execution.
His record of transformation in education, health, infrastructure, and digital governance has earned him the affectionate title of “Magic Governor” among Ndi Enugu. Indeed, any affront to such a leader naturally provokes the passionate defense of a grateful populace.
Second, as one of the founding members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State, and having served as Director of Operations for the Alex Ekwueme Campaign Organisation (ALEPCO) and Campaign Manager for Prince Nduka Agu in 1998/1999; I have long been devoted to the ideals of that once-great party. Yet, when a party begins a macabre dance toward self-destruction, driven by greed and betrayal, loyal followers must seek higher ground.
On October 3, 2022, as National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, I reminded Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that the Igbo nation expected him to reciprocate their 2019 support by backing a South East presidential candidate in 2023. (See Atiku Knows It’s Igbo’s Turn to Be Nigerian President — Sahara Reporters, October 3, 2022). My statement was a moral appeal grounded in equity: after eight years of a northern presidency, justice demanded that power return to the South, particularly the South East.
Instead, several northern aspirants again flooded the PDP race, revealing the party’s entrenched insincerity and disregard for fairness.
The final straw came when the PDP leadership treacherously undermined the consensus candidacy of Rt. Hon. SKE Ude-Okoye for National Secretary, the choice of the South East and a respected loyalist of the party. To ignore the position of Governor Peter Mbah, the leader of the PDP in the South East, was to insult both logic and loyalty. Such serial betrayal has made the PDP’s decline inevitable. In Enugu, we say: “Enough is enough!”
Governor Mbah’s decision to chart a new political course is therefore both bold and necessary. Like the Igbo proverb miri maru ugo — “when the eagle is drenched, it emerges renewed” — what some perceived as injury has turned into a blessing, a Eureka moment for Enugu.
Beyond his achievements, Mbah’s style defined by his calm, urbane, prudent, and cosmopolitan nature, continues to endear him to his people.
His equity-driven policies have touched every corner of Enugu State, with the construction of 260 smart schools and Type 2 hospitals across all wards. His vision is not selective; it is inclusive, anchored on fairness and history.
A glance at Enugu’s administrative evolution reminds us that as far back as 1919, the state’s structures were built around three divisions namely Awgu, Udi, and Nsukka. These have now crystallized into four cultural zones: Awgu, Agbaja, Nkanu, and Nsukka. Yet, since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the Awgu Cultural Zone has never produced a full-fledged minister, deputy governor, governor, or ambassador. This historical imbalance needs to be addressed.
I therefore respectfully urge His Excellency to break this jinx by nominating a worthy son or daughter of Greater Awgu to fill the vacancy created by the exit of Chief Uche Nnaji from the Federal Executive Council. The Greater Awgu zone, comprising Aninri, Awgu, and Oji River Local Government Areas, is endowed with an abundance of human capital: disciplined, intelligent, industrious, innovative, and unfailingly loyal citizens. Governor Mbah, known for his commitment to equity and justice, is best positioned to right this long-standing wrong.
This appeal is not a condition for our support but a moral imperative anchored in fairness and history.
Let it be known, therefore, that I, Dr. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia (Ozowaluona), have today formally withdrawn from the PDP, a party I laboured to build in 1998/1999. I do so with a clear conscience and an unwavering conviction that Enugu’s future now lies in the visionary leadership of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah.
To the good people of Awgu LGA, Enugu West Senatorial District, and the entire Enugu State, I urge you: rally behind this governor of destiny. Support his mission for a new, prosperous, and equitable Enugu State.
Indeed, a Eureka moment has come for Enugu, for Mbah, and for Greater Awgu.
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