Prof. Udenta O. Udenta, founding National secretary of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), has defended Governor Peter Mbah’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), arguing that the decision reflects strategic governance thinking rather than political opportunism.
According to Udenta, Nigerian politics operates less as an ideological contest and more as a survival-driven system shaped by power, performance, and institutional stability.
“Politics is a complex business,” Udenta said. “The PDP started strong in 1998 and governed Nigeria for 16 years, but since its defeat in 2015, the party has been struggling—crippled by legal challenges, internal contradictions, and institutional strain imposed by governors, lawmakers, and other stakeholders.”
He argued that while party identity matters, governance outcomes often force leaders to make hard choices to protect reform agendas and political viability.
Using Enugu State as an example, Udenta said Governor Mbah’s defection should be evaluated beyond partisan emotion and within the context of technocratic governance.
“I’m from Enugu State. Governor Peter Mbah was one of the leading lights of the PDP before his defection to the APC. When it happened, my immediate question was simple: why move to another party that also appears troubled nationally?” he said.
Udenta said his position evolved after spending weeks in Enugu during the Christmas and New Year holidays, where he interacted with residents and assessed developments firsthand.
“For the first time in six years, I truly went home, put my ears to the ground, and asked hard questions. What I saw was a technocratic mindset that is disruptive—in a positive sense—redefining what Enugu has become,” he said.
According to him, Mbah’s administration has pursued a coherent reform agenda centred on infrastructure, education, aviation, urban renewal, innovation, and revenue generation, aimed at repositioning Enugu in line with global best practices.
“This is not about party labels. It is about how to combine technocratic zeal with political strength and depth of penetration,” Udenta said. “The question becomes: how do you protect reform, innovation, and performance within a political structure that can sustain it?”
He argued that the APC, despite its limited appeal in parts of the South-East, offers federal leverage, institutional stability, and political cover that a reform-driven governor may require while operating within a fragile opposition platform.
“Maybe the PDP will not recover in time. Maybe the legal challenges are enormous. Maybe the party needs to reconnect with its soul,” he said. “In the meantime, governance cannot wait.”
Udenta extended the argument to other states, including Rivers, noting that governors under intense political pressure often pursue realignment as a defensive strategy.
“When a governor is under siege, the question becomes whether to remain in a platform weakened by internal battles or seek sanctuary where the state apparatus can offer protection,” he said.
He acknowledged that Mbah’s reforms have imposed short-term pain but insisted they are part of a necessary economic and institutional restructuring.
“Yes, people feel immediate pain. There are questions about taxation and adjustment,” Udenta said. “But the message from the governor is clear: the pain is temporary, the restructuring is necessary, and the outcome will be a stronger, more prosperous Enugu for future generations.”
Udenta contrasted Enugu’s reform trajectory with what he described as the lack of clarity at the national level, arguing that citizens are more willing to endure hardship when progress is visible and timelines are defined.
“When pain is imposed, people must see evidence—not just macroeconomic theory—that their lives will improve within a defined timeframe,” he said.
He concluded that Governor Mbah’s political choices represent a strategic recalibration anchored on development, innovation, and long-term electoral viability rather than blind party allegiance.
“In the end, politics must serve development,” Udenta said. “And Governor Mbah’s governance is about strategic disruption—using power, technology, and innovation to rebuild a state—not about party labels.”