Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah said he had found in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, “not just a leader of our nation, but a partner in purpose.”

Mbah said this as he formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference in Enugu, the governor said the defection will help fast-track development across the state by aligning Enugu’s ambitions with the federal government’s reform agenda.

“I have found in His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, not just a leader of our nation, but a partner in purpose, a man with the courage to look beyond today and make the tough choices that secure lasting prosperity for tomorrow.

“Together, we share a conviction that transformation must be bold and disruptive – that roads, railways, and airlines must stretch out from the heart of the South East; that Enugu’s promise, its security, its schools, its hospitals, its markets, its communities – must be reinforced.

“The President has shown not only interest, but a deep and vested commitment to Enugu, one that recognises our region as a pillar of national progress,” Mbah said.

The governor said his beliefs and political ideology align with the president’s.

He stated, “We both share a belief that renewal does not stop at the grand highways or the balance sheets. It must reach the ward, the village, and our grassroots. It is in the daily life of the farmer, the trader, and the young entrepreneur that reforms come alive.

“We both welcome initiatives that decentralise opportunity, that strengthen the capacity of local government, that bring seed capital and credit to our youth, and that expand healthcare and education at the community level.”