Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the wave of defections from opposition parties to the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a reflection of deepening cracks in the opposition’s camp and a testament to the governing party’s growing strength and unity.
Speaking at the grand reception of Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, his cabinet members, and supporters into the APC at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, the Vice President—who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu—described the defection as an “extraordinary endorsement” of the APC’s vision and values.
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“Much has been said about the ongoing wave of defections to our great party,” Shettima said. “What the opposition has failed to do is look into the mirror to ask why the APC remains the preferred destination of Nigeria’s most visionary political actors. Their departures reveal the cracks in the walls they built and the strength of the bridges we have constructed.”
He noted that the APC’s rise as “the most formidable political family in Africa” is due to President Tinubu’s inclusive leadership style, integrity, and capacity to listen, which continue to attract reform-minded leaders across the country.
“President Tinubu is a man of all seasons and all people—a man whose word is his bond,” the Vice President said. “His sense of inclusion and belief in merit over sentiment have made the APC the most formidable political platform in Africa.”
Welcoming Governor Mbah and his supporters, Shettima added humorously that the governor had always been a progressive at heart.
“Your Excellency, I am convinced you had a broom hidden in your umbrella all these years, waiting for the right moment to bring it out,” he quipped, referring to the APC’s and PDP’s party symbols.
The Vice President affirmed that Governor Mbah now assumes leadership of the APC in Enugu State and urged him to rebuild and strengthen the party from the grassroots.
“You are not just a frontline stakeholder within the state; you are now a leading voice at the national level,” Shettima stated. “Mr. President has assured you of his full support.”
In his remarks, Governor Mbah described the APC as “the largest political party in Africa,” saying his defection marked “a new beginning and a collective decision” by his political family to join the progressive fold.
“We are affirming today collectively that we are going together as a zone to put an end to segmented politics,” he said. “We are moving to take the opportunity at the national level.”
Also speaking, APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, hailed the governor’s achievements in education, infrastructure, and governance, saying he was “returning home to the soul of the progressives.”
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, praised Governor Mbah’s performance in office and said his defection “brings joy to all progressives,” while Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, called the event a “historic day” for Enugu State and the South East.
The Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, also expressed optimism that Mbah’s entry into the APC would strengthen the party’s presence in the South East and boost support for President Tinubu in the region.
