Bode George reacts to Governor Mbah’s defection to APC: “I never saw it coming”

A prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has expressed deep surprise at the defection of Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), calling the move unexpected and ill-timed.
Speaking on Politics Today, a programme aired on Channels Television Tuesday evening, George said he was taken aback by the governor’s switch despite ongoing internal efforts to resolve party disputes and reposition the PDP ahead of its upcoming convention.
“I never saw it at any time,” he said. “In fact, when Anyanwu was reinstated as secretary to complete his assignment, Mbah was telling his people not to attend meetings. We kept wondering what was going on in the South-East. Now that the issues have been settled and the convention date fixed, I don’t understand the point of leaving now.”
Chief George, a member of the PDP’s Board of Trustees, disclosed that party elders had made several attempts to dissuade Governor Mbah from leaving, assuring him of the South-East’s stake in the party’s future leadership.
“We met him, we pleaded with him. Many of us reached out, asking him to stay calm until the convention. We told him whatever is due to the South-East would be delivered. But the way he explained his decision, it felt surreal — like being in a long dream,” George said.
While he wished Mbah well in his new political journey, George reaffirmed confidence in the PDP’s strength and legacy, describing it as a party with deep roots and resilience.
“The PDP is an iroko tree. People come and go — that’s politics. But the party stands. As for the APC, it’s a private enterprise. One man owns it, and that man is President Bola Tinubu. He said it publicly,” George stated.
Governor Mbah, in a separate public address on Tuesday, explained his defection was aimed at aligning more closely with the federal government to facilitate development efforts in Enugu State. He emphasized that despite the political shift, the cultural and regional identity of the state remains unchanged.
“Our Igbo DNA does not change; our destiny does not change. What changes is that our vision now finds stronger reinforcement at the federal level,” Mbah said.
He also reassured citizens that ongoing infrastructure and social projects across the state would be delivered as promised.
Despite Mbah’s departure, Bode George maintained that the PDP remains “absolutely redeemable” and committed to playing a leading role in shaping Nigeria’s democratic future.