The political landscape of Enugu State is witnessing a major shake-up as the All Progressives Congress (APC) formally welcomed high-profile defectors from the Labour Party, including the member representing Udi/Ezeagu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Sunday Cyriacus Umeha. The defection, marked by a grand reception in Akama-Oghe, Ezeagu Local Government Area, signals what party leaders say is the beginning of APC’s takeover of the state.
Representing APC National Chairman Dr. Umar Abdullahi Ganduje at the event, Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Emma Eneukwu, lambasted the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State for imposing what he described as “oppressive taxation” on the poor. He vowed that the APC will end the reign of Governor Peter Mbah’s administration, describing it as a one-term government whose days are numbered. Eneukwu emphasized that the defectors had “connected themselves to the national grid,” symbolizing their alignment with federal power and the promise of “light that never goes off.”
With Umeha’s defection, the APC has, for the first time since its formation in 2014, secured an elected federal lawmaker in Enugu State. Joining him in the political migration were former House of Representatives member Hon. Dennis Amadi, Labour Party’s 2023 senatorial candidate for Enugu West; Hon. Emma Ogbozo, LP candidate for Udi North State Constituency; Barr. Chibuzor Onyema, LP candidate for Udi South; and the entire LP structures across the 40 wards and two local governments of Udi/Ezeagu.
Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, took aim at the state government, accusing it of misusing federal allocations and misleading President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by showcasing uncompleted projects. He specifically criticized the recent commissioning of what was claimed to be 30 completed smart schools, stating that only one was actually built — in Owo, the governor’s hometown.
Nnaji also used the occasion to assert that the people of Enugu had been politically sidelined and must return to the “centre of national politics” if they wished to benefit from meaningful development. He described the current state administration’s relationship with the federal government as one of deception and political showmanship.
Adding to the chorus of condemnation, Enugu APC Chairman Barr. Ugochukwu Agballah blamed the internal crisis within the Labour Party on failed leadership by Peter Obi and Chijioke Edeoga. He accused Edeoga of betraying his followers by defecting to the same PDP he had campaigned against. Agballah praised Umeha and Amadi as men of courage who have repositioned the political equation in Enugu West in favour of the APC ahead of 2027.
In a passionate speech, Hon. Umeha declared that the entire Labour Party structure in his constituency had now collapsed into the APC, describing the defection as a “remarkable day” in the journey to align Enugu State with the federal government. He called for Enugu, which he described as the “capital of the South East,” to reclaim its place at the epicenter of national decision-making. Umeha said the defection followed thorough consultations with constituents, who overwhelmingly endorsed the move.
The event drew top APC figures including Prof. Nnanyelugo Ikemounso, Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council; Hon. Obumneme Obodougo of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission; Dr. Lois Nwobodo of SEDI, Enugu; Chief O’Brian Ofordu, former GM of Enugu Water Corporation; and other party loyalists.
