Nnaji also dismissed claims that Mbah’s defection will weaken PDP in Enugu State.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Former National Auditor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ray Nnaji, has described the recent decision by Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a “grave political mistake.”
He made this known on Tuesday during an interview with Daily Post, following the governor’s announcement.
Speaking at a press conference announcing his defection, Mbah thanked PDP for providing a platform through which he became the governor, adding that he decided to join the APC to better serve the people of Enugu.
He said, “To the Peoples Democratic Party which provided us the platform on which we campaigned and won, I extend deep gratitude. The PDP supported us through a demanding campaign and joined us in celebrating the victory.” Mbah then added, “Today, after a long reflection, we have made a decision to join the All Progressives Congress.”
Reacting to the development, Nnaji noted that although Mbah has the constitutional right to defect, the move would eventually backfire.
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The PDP chieftain also accused Mbah of staging a crowd during his formal reception into the APC, claiming that those who attended the event were hired.
“I must tell you that the governor succeeded in renting a crowd. The people that came there were hired. The governor is not on ground. He is more interested in the elites and his financial base than in the common people,” he said.
Speaking further, Nnaji blamed the party’s national leadership for the spate of defections across the country, alleging that poor leadership and inaction had weakened the party’s influence.
He also dismissed claims that Mbah’s defection would weaken opposition forces in the state, noting that recent political history had shown that voters, not elites, determine election outcomes.
“The problem PDP has is poor leadership. If the chairman had lived up to expectations, he wouldn’t have allowed these defections. Even those who left—how many are being challenged in court? What steps has he taken to make them regret their actions?”
He continued, “We are waiting to see what happens in Enugu because we learned the governor left remnants of PDP members to control the party while enjoying his stay in APC. But from my experience, he has made a very big mistake.
“How can anyone say it gives him an edge? Peter Obi, within a few months, gathered more than six million votes. It’s the people that determine who wins,” Nnaji said.
