President Bola Tinubu says the gale of defections by politicians from other political parties to the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) has exposed the cracks in the camp of the opposition in Nigeria’s politics.
He notes that while these cracks are becoming visible in the walls built by the opposition, the APC is growing stronger by the bridges it has constructed.
The President, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday in Enugu during the grand reception of Governor Peter Mbah, his cabinet, and supporters into the APC, described the decision by the Enugu State Governor and thousands of his supporters to defect to the governing party as an extraordinary endorsement of the APC’s collective vision.
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“Much has been said about the ongoing wave of defections to our great party. What the opposition has failed to do is look into the mirror to ask why the APC remains the preferred destination of Nigeria’s most visionary political actors.
“Their departures are not accidents; they reveal the cracks in the walls they built and the strength of the bridges we have constructed. The APC has, over the years, become a political home where ideas find expression, where ambitions find direction, and where patriotism finds partnership,” he stated.
The VP noted, however, that as President Bola Tinubu had often pointed out, “it is not the duty of the governing party to fix the house of the opposition, our task is to offer Nigerians a level playing ground and a clear alternative built on integrity, competence, and performance. That we are chosen again and again as the political party of the moment and of the future is because we represent order over chaos, progress over paralysis, and hope over despair.”
Addressing a mammoth crowd of supporters who thronged the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, in solidarity with the Governor and his new party, the President maintained that the APC has nurtured relationships built on trust, accommodating divergent interests, and offering a platform where every Nigerian with noble intentions can find purpose.
He said his capacity to listen as well as his inclusive style of leadership and belief in merit have galvanised the party into the most formidable political platform in Africa.
“This is why every progressive mind, every reformist, and every visionary, sooner or later, finds their path leading here. So, to you, Your Excellency, Governor Peter Mbah, and your team — welcome home. In the APC, you have found an enduring family, an ally in your journey, and a party that recognises your worth,” he said.
Observing that Governor Mbah had always been a part of the APC fold even before he joined the governing party, the Nigerian leader suggested rather jocularly that the Governor may have been hiding a broom in his umbrella, the symbol of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
He said, “Your Excellency, let me say this with warmth and humour: you have always been one of us. You are a progressive through and through. I am convinced that you had a broom hidden in your umbrella all these years, waiting for the right moment to bring it out.
“And now that you have chosen the right time to come home, we are not bitter that you are joining us today—we are overjoyed that you are here to strengthen our party and add your voice to the chorus of progress.”
Party Leader
He implicitly reminded Governor Mbah that he was now the leader of the APC in the state in line with the party’s tradition, pointing out that the governor now carries the noble challenge of rebuilding the APC in Enugu State.
“You are not just a frontline stakeholder within the state; you are now a leading voice at the national level. Mr President has assured you of his full support, and I want to reaffirm that we stand ready to partner with you in deepening development and democratic dividends for the people of Enugu,” he added.
Noting that the strength of a political party lies in its foundation at the grassroots, including the “associations, the networks, and the day-to-day interactions that give life to its ideals,” VP Shettima said Mbah, as a people’s governor who has walked with the people and understand their pulse, is in a better position to identify and strengthen the foundations of APC.
He continued: “Your Excellency, you have always been our ally, even when you were under the umbrella, and now that you wield the broom of hope, we are even more delighted. You are an asset to this party, and we do not take the strength, influence, and credibility you bring for granted. Your coming enriches our story and reinforces our mission.
Welcoming the governor and his supporters to the party fold, the president reaffirmed the party’s determination to remain the home of all progressives.
National Chairman of the APC, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, welcomed the Governor into the governing party, noting that they were now in “the soul and family of the Progressives; the APC.”
He thanked the governor for boldly deciding to take his people into the Promised Land through the APC.
The party chairman later handed over the flag of the party and a broom, the main symbol of the party, to the Enugu State Governor to formally induct him into the APC.
