Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, has been accused of discouraging Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State from joining the All Progressives Congress.
The governor got into office on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, but has shown symptoms of disposition to defect to the ruling APC.
Nnaji with whom Mbah hails from Enugu is believed to be indisposed to his defection, with the minister at a meeting in the state on Sunday expressing his disapproval at the prospect.
Weighing in on the matter, the former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Mr Osita Okechukwu, a foundation member of the APC, hit out at Nnaji, saying he should face his job.
Okechukwu also said that the governor would be accorded a gracious reception if he joins the APC in a statement he released which read: “Anybody who wants to run for the governorship of Enugu State, let him come to the APC, we will go to contest, we are waiting for them.
“We, the foundation members of the APC, wish to state unequivocally that His Excellency, Dr Peter Mbah, and his group are wholeheartedly welcome to the APC, Enugu State, in accordance with the standard convention of our great party.
“Gov. Mbah and his group should not be scared by anybody.
“For we, the foundation members, Governor Mbah should disregard our dear brother Chief Nnaji, because we want to win Lion Building for the first time and join 23 other states to guarantee President Bola Tinubu’s victory in 2027.
“Otherwise, we will not allow Chief Nnaji, who came a distant fourth with 14,575 votes in the gubernatorial election and fouled the atmosphere for President Tinubu with 4,722 votes in the 2023 presidential election, to rubbish the APC again.”
