PDP Chieftain Insists Mbah Didn’t Win 2023 Governorship Election

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former spokesperson to ex-Vice President Namadi Sambo, Umar Sani, has claimed that Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, did not genuinely win the 2023 governorship election.

Sani made the remark on Wednesday while reacting to Mbah’s recent defection from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He insisted that the party remains firm despite the wave of defections affecting it.

According to him, “The defection of Peter Mbah will not rattle the PDP because he is swimming against the tide. In fact, he did not even win the election.”

The PDP stalwart accused unnamed political actors of orchestrating internal crises within the party. “What is happening in the PDP is being orchestrated by fifth columnists,” he said.

During his defection ceremony, Mbah said his decision to join the APC was driven by a desire to promote development and pursue transformative change in Enugu State and Nigeria at large. He expressed confidence that the APC would offer a stronger platform for collaboration and growth.

It will be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Mbah winner of the 2023 governorship election with 160,895 votes, narrowly defeating his Labour Party rival, Chijioke Edeoga, who garnered 157,552 votes a difference of about 3,300.

Edeoga and his supporters rejected the result, alleging irregularities and over-voting, particularly in Nkanu East Local Government Area, which they said tilted the outcome in Mbah’s favour.