Yemi Obafemi
A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Chief Bode George, has said that governors do not solely define the strength of the party, stressing that the people remain its foundation.
“Governors alone don’t make the party; they’re an added value. The people make up the party. We’ll campaign, go to the field, and explain to Nigerians what the APC has done, or failed to do, to put smiles on their faces,” George said on Channels Television’s Politics Today while reacting to recent defections from the PDP in the South-East.
Responding specifically to the defection of Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, George expressed surprise, noting that party leaders had engaged Mbah and urged him to remain patient ahead of the party’s forthcoming convention.
“I never saw it at any time. In fact, when Anyanwu was brought back as secretary to complete his assignment, he asked his people not to attend meetings. We were wondering what was going on in the South-East. Now that we have settled the matter and fixed the convention date, it’s only a question of time,” George said.
“The governor, we all waded in and convinced him. Many people went there, telling him, ‘Calm down, the convention is next month. You’ll get whatever is due to the South-East.’ But the rationale and emphasis he gave, it was like I was in a very long dream. I wish him the best of luck. This is not the first time people are leaving. The PDP is an iroko tree,” he added.
Governor Mbah officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, in Enugu, where he briefed journalists shortly after announcing his move.
Meanwhile, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, also expressed disappointment over Mbah’s defection, describing it as regrettable but within his rights.
“The PDP is utterly disappointed by those actions, having regard to what we know behind the scene. But having said that, people have a right to decide what they want to do; the consequences can follow,” Ologunagba said on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday.
He alleged that certain individuals within the party had been working to undermine its progress but assured that internal mechanisms were being activated to address the situation.
“I compare this to a situation where you have a madman in a China shop; you must be methodical, you must be deliberate in trying to exit that,” he said.
Ologunagba reaffirmed the PDP’s commitment to rebuilding and repositioning itself, ahead of its forthcoming convention in Ibadan.
“As a party, we are focused on the Nigerian people; we don’t want to put too much premium on individuals because it is not based on individuals; it is based on the people, and that is our strength. We are going to go to Ibadan, coming out victoriously with a brand new National Working Committee that will continue to steer the affairs of the party,” he added.
According to him, the PDP’s priority remains creating a solid foundation led by individuals with “character, integrity, capacity, and courage” to restore Nigerians’ confidence in the party.
