Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, has welcomed the reported defection of Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah to the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the South East is embracing the ruling party out of conviction and gratitude, not for personal gain.
Speaking in an interview on ARISE News on Sunday, the lawmaker representing Ebonyi North Central said the defection of the governor and other political leaders reflected a growing realisation among the people of the region that the APC has done more for the South East than any administration in Nigeria’s recent history.
“First and foremost, I want to welcome our leader and brother, the Executive Governor of Enugu State, and the entire good people of Enugu State into the APC — the most popular party in South East Nigeria today,” Senator Nwebonyi said.
“During the 2023 election, the people of the South East did not vote for the APC. Yet, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remembered us in an extraordinary way.”
According to him, the President demonstrated inclusiveness by appointing former Ebonyi State Governor Engr. David Umahi as Minister of Works, marking the first time in history that an Igbo man would head “the number one ministry in Nigeria.”
“Today, the South East is feeling the presence of the Federal Government through massive infrastructure projects,” he said.
“Enugu-Port Harcourt Highway is on course — one lane is fully completed. You can now travel from Enugu to Port Harcourt in two to three hours instead of six. Work is ongoing on the Enugu–9th Mile–Makurdi Road, and President Tinubu has also approved a coastal highway linking Ebonyi through Benue to Abuja. These are life-changing projects.”
The senator said such developments have convinced the South East to align politically with the ruling party.
“We, the people of the South East, have decided to appreciate the party we didn’t vote for, but which has remembered us,” he said. “That is why everyone is moving towards the APC. This is not about personal interests — it’s about development and inclusion.”
Responding to critics who claim the defections are politically motivated, Senator Nwebonyi insisted that the movement is a collective decision by the region’s people, not a move by political elites seeking power.
“The people of the South East are not joining APC for personal aggrandisement,” he said. “We are doing so out of conviction. The APC government has shown us love. We are joining so that we can be counted when it matters most.”
He argued that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had failed the South East during its 16 years in power, despite the region’s overwhelming loyalty to the party.
“From 1999 till 2015, all five states in the South East were in the PDP, yet we had nothing to show for it,” he said. “No major infrastructural development, no visible federal presence — the region was neglected and abandoned. The only position we got was Deputy Senate President.”
Nwebonyi said the situation has changed under the Tinubu administration, which he described as inclusive and development-driven.
“Look at the railway corridor from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri — the President has approved over ₦300 billion for it. Is that personal? No. The Minister of Works is from our region. That’s not personal either. These are national projects benefitting everyone.”
He maintained that the wave of defections is not limited to political figures but reflects a widespread sentiment among the electorate.
“On Tuesday, when the governor of Enugu State officially joins the APC, he won’t be coming alone,” Nwebonyi said. “He’ll be coming with senators, lawmakers, and the entire good people of Enugu State. This defection is people-driven, not symbolic.”
The senator added that political alignment with the centre is necessary for the South East to achieve greater representation in national leadership.
“For the overall interest of the Igbo people, we must belong so that we’ll be counted,” he said. “One day, when the South East seeks the presidency, we expect our brothers from the South West, South South, and the North to support us.”
On the call for constitutional reforms to regulate defections, Senator Nwebonyi argued that such moves would violate the constitutional right to freedom of association.
“Our constitution guarantees freedom of association, including political association,” he explained. “Defection is not about abandoning people who made you; it’s about aligning with political ideology. Anyone in the South East still holding on to the PDP after its years of neglect is not patriotic.”
He also dismissed suggestions that smaller parties like the African Democratic Congress (ADC)could challenge the APC in the South East.
“The only parties that matter in the South East today are APC, PDP, and Labour Party,” he said. “I have never heard of ADC. We have no business with ADC — we are for APC.”
Senator Nwebonyi concluded that the South East’s growing support for the ruling party marks a turning point in the region’s political direction.
“The APC has found a people once rejected and has remembered us,” he said. “This is unprecedented and convincing. The South East is now part of the national movement for development, unity, and inclusion.”
Boluwatife Enome
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