A former spokesman to ex-Vice President Namadi Sambo, Umar Sani, has claimed that Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, did not legitimately win the 2023 governorship election.
Sani made the statement while reacting to Mbah’s recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, the PDP chieftain maintained that the party remains unfazed by the wave of defections rocking its ranks, insisting that Governor Mbah is “swimming against the tide.”
He alleged that the series of defections in the PDP are being sponsored by external forces, describing them as the work of “fifth columnists.”
“What is happening within the PDP is being orchestrated by fifth columnists,” Sani said. “Mbah’s defection will not rattle the PDP because he is swimming against the tide. In fact, he did not even win the election.”
Governor Mbah, in his defection speech, said his decision to join the APC stemmed from a desire to foster stronger collaboration and drive transformative development in Enugu State. He noted that the APC platform offers a broader opportunity to actualize his vision for growth at both state and national levels.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Mbah the winner of the 2023 Enugu governorship election with 160,895 votes, defeating his closest rival, Chijioke Edeoga of the Labour Party, who scored 157,552 votes a margin of about 3,300 votes.
Edeoga’s camp rejected the outcome, alleging widespread irregularities and over-voting, particularly in Nkanu East Local Government Area, and accused the tribunal of disregarding key evidence of electoral malpractice.
Despite the controversy, the PDP leadership has continued to project confidence, with Sani asserting that the party remains united and resilient in the face of political realignments.
