When Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, and several members of his executive council joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) last week, there was, understandably, a stir. People spoke, eyebrows were raised, and some supporters felt shaken. But since then, the national chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has sent a clear message: we are still here, we are coming together and we intend to be competitive by 2027.
I’ll be honest: defections like this are important. They change the shorthand that people use to determine who is “in” and who is “out.” But they don’t tell the whole story. At a press conference at the PDP state office, acting state chairman Steve Oruruo tried to highlight this larger story: Many members are staying in the party, others are returning, and still others are just deciding how they want to get involved. In short, it’s not over.
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A party that does the slow work
Oruruo’s tone was firm but somewhat familiar: resilient rather than defiant. He spoke about the mechanics of recovery, the less glamorous work that precedes any successful political comeback. That means meetings, fundraising calls, recruitment drives — regular, sometimes boring, activities that win elections. He said the Enugu PDP has already started “galvanizing” its members, that is, trying to keep people connected and motivated so that the departure of some does not trigger a stampede.
I liked this part. There is a real appreciation, in what he said, for the little things that matter. This is not just fiery rhetoric. He acknowledged the problems of the past without dwelling on blame. He talked about credible conventions and legitimate primaries. In practice, it’s a promise: we will choose candidates that the base can support, and not just those passed on by a few men in power.
An imperfect picture – but not hopeless
Let’s be frank: the PDP does not pretend that everything is perfect. Oruruo admitted to “minor crises” at the national level. He didn’t water them down, but he didn’t over-proportion them either. Instead, he focused on mechanisms – the internal ways the party says it will manage disputes and move forward. It’s the kind of response that seems less like election hyperbole and more like a party trying to keep its house in order.
And he made another point that I found interesting: the PDP will not take this defection to court. It is a deliberate choice. It can be read in several ways. Perhaps it’s a question of trust — an insistence that public opinion and better organization, rather than legal battles, will decide the next round. Or maybe it’s pragmatism: The courts are slow and unreliable, and a bruising legal battle could further divide supporters. Either way, they choose the political path.
Small fractures, different reactions
People react differently to defections. Some members will leave quietly, some will stay and fight, and others will sit on the fence for a while. According to Oruruo, some have even expressed interest in returning or joining the PDP for the next races. These are moderate returns; they take time. They also require a welcoming posture. If I had to guess, I’d say the party’s emphasis on inclusive primaries is designed to make the comeback seem reasonable rather than theatrical.
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There is also a psychological angle. When a governor deserts a party, it hurts morale. But it’s not fatal. The Enugu PDP is trying to shift the narrative – from one of loss to one of reconstruction. They say: we have been here before; we can be here again. This refrain matters to donors, activists and ordinary voters who want to know if their local party is still relevant.
Promises and hard work ahead
Promises are easy in politics. Deliver, less. Oruruo’s words were full of intentions: to rebuild, to attract responsible candidates, to stay united. Yet none of this happens overnight. Finding quality candidates, running transparent primaries, convincing grassroots activists to reinvest time and money in a party that just lost its governor – all of this is no easy task. The PDP clearly knows this; the question is whether they can maintain the required discipline.
I find myself cautiously optimistic – perhaps more hopeful than I should be. Political recoveries are not linear. They are messy. It’s good, actually. Complicated things make for better politics in some ways, because they force conversations that smooth victories never allow. If the Enugu PDP uses this moment to address long-standing internal weaknesses, it could emerge more stable. If they ignore these weaknesses and focus solely on optics, defection could prove even more damaging.
What to watch next
A few things will be important to follow. First: how the PDP conducts its primaries and congresses. If these processes are seen as fair, the party will attract credible candidates and redefine its appeal. Second: grassroots commitment. Are local activists and organizers involved or sidelined? Third: coalition building. Oruruo said the party is open to partnerships with any sincere person who wants to help the PDP win. These alliances could be important, especially in hotly contested areas.
There is one final nuance here that I don’t want to miss: the media will follow this story closely, and the public will respond to both the symbols and the content. The governor’s defection is a great symbol. The PDP’s work on the ground – quiet, persistent, sometimes tedious – is its substance. Which will shape public perception? It’s not yet decided.
To conclude: the Enugu PDP is not collapsing. It is reorganizing itself and, if the words of the interim president are to be believed, preparing for a fight in 2027. It remains to be seen whether they will succeed in translating rhetoric into organization and, ultimately, votes. Still, there’s an impulse here – a determination to rebuild this, well, I think it’s worth watching.