Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has revealed that his decision to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) was inspired by President Bola Tinubu’s decisive economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market.
Speaking during a media chat on Tuesday, shortly after officially announcing his defection to the ruling party, Mbah said he was captivated by the President’s reformist zeal and leadership approach from day one.
“I fell in love with this president from the day he made the announcement to remove fuel subsidy and unified the foreign exchange market essentially because, given my background as somebody who plays in the oil and gas sector, I’ve also written features in the past on why it has become necessary for the subsidy to go.”
He clarified that his defection was not just a political move but one rooted in shared ideals of leadership and development.
“I enjoy a very good relationship with the President, no doubt about that,” he said.
“When I said this is beyond party politics, it’s also about leadership — it’s about who you find in the leadership position of a particular party and how comfortable you feel about that leadership.”
Mbah lauded President Tinubu’s focus on devolution of powers and economic decentralisation, describing such policies as vital for achieving the country’s economic targets.
“We are looking at a leader who, for example, is interested in devolution of power, interested in centralising development. We believe that if we are going to achieve a $1 trillion economy by 2030, then the states must be empowered,” he noted.
Earlier, while declaring his defection, Mbah said his move was driven by the need to reshape Enugu’s development path and reorganise the state’s political structure.
