The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on Tuesday officially received Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, who defected from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking at the grand reception held at Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, Shettima noted that the ongoing wave of defections from other political parties to the APC highlights cracks in the opposition, while the ruling party continues to grow stronger.

According to his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said, “Their departures are not accidents; they reveal the cracks in the walls they built and the strength of the bridges we have constructed. The APC has, over the years, become a political home where ideas find expression, where ambitions find direction, and where patriotism finds partnership.”

The Vice President, who represented President Bola Tinubu, described Governor Mbah’s decision, along with thousands of his supporters, as an extraordinary endorsement of the APC’s collective vision.

Shettima emphasised that the governing party’s role is not to fix the opposition, but to offer Nigerians a level playing ground and a clear alternative based on integrity, competence, and performance. “We represent order over chaos, progress over paralysis, and hope over despair,” he said.

Addressing the large crowd, Shettima praised APC’s leadership culture, attributing the party’s rise to President Tinubu’s inclusiveness, ability to listen, and belief in merit. He said, “His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is a man of all seasons and all people — a man whose word is his bond. His sense of inclusion, rare capacity to listen, and belief in merit over sentiment have made the APC the most formidable political family in Africa.”

Shettima welcomed Governor Mbah warmly, noting humorously that he had perhaps “hidden a broom in his umbrella,” the symbol of the opposition PDP, suggesting that Mbah had always been aligned with APC principles.

“And now that you have chosen the right time to come home, we are overjoyed that you are here to strengthen our party and add your voice to the chorus of progress,” he added, implicitly reminding the Governor of his new leadership role within the APC.