Politics
Election: The bitter truth, facts, factors that’ll determine Enugu’s next Governor
BY PETRUS OBI
The race to the Enugu Lion building will automatically come to its end, Saturday, when the people of Enugu State visit the polling booths once again to cast their votes.
The campaigns have been scorching. Mud has been thrown. Lies have been fabricated and well decorated. Facts have been distorted. All in a bid to discredit one another.
Apart from some bitterness and hate speeches here and there, it’s been very interesting as the candidates tried to woo voters.
It is the first time Enugu is feeling this heat since 1999. This has been attributed to the effect of LP, it’s Presidential candidate Mr. Peter Obi and the OBIdient Movement.
The unexpected results of February 25th Presidential and National Assembly elections in the State just like other States in the South East have threatened the dorminance of the PDP in Enugu State.
Top contenders: PETER MBAH (PDP)
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate Barr. Peter Mbah is seriously in contention. If not for the Obi and Labour Party impact, it would have been a walk in the park for him. But no, the challenges cannot be ignored. It is visible, it’s real, it’s threatening. And the PDP is aware of the reality on ground.
After the abysmal performance in the National Assembly elections where it picked up only one out of the 8 Reps positions, and one of the two concluded Senate positions, the party is throwing everything it has into Saturday guber polls. Failure will be disastrous as a whole lot of politcial actors will be retired. It’s the last fight, as the movies would put it.
The party redoubled it’s campaign efforts and has massively mobilized Enugu voters ahead the guber polls.
The PDP candidate Barr Peter Mbah on his part has proven to be a good commodity. He has shown desire to govern. His manifesto has also been commended. He has promised to turn Enugu around in terms of development.
CHIJIOKE EDEOGA (LP)
The former Commissioner crossed over to Labour Party, after losing out in the PDP Guber primary election.
Going by last Saturday results, Edeoga is the candidate to beat on Saturday. The Labour, OBIdient revolution is a big advantage to the former Reps member and journalist.
Edeoga who hails from Isi-uzo LGA in Enugu East Zone is enjoying the overwhelming support of the Enugu North Zone (Nsukka). Isi-uzo and Nsukka zone share the same cultural affinity. Being a minority in the Nkanu dominated Enugu East Zone, the Nsukka people see them as being marginalized by the Nkanu people. They feel it’s time to align with Isi-uzo and ’emancipate’ them from the alleged Nkanu dorminance.
Frank Nweke Jnr. (APGA)
A fine gentleman and tested administrator. The former Minister has campaigned vigorously ahead the coming polls. He hails from Ozalla, in Nkanu West Local Government Area.
Nweke is a strong contender and may benefit from the “Nkanu vs Nsukka” direction which the campaigns had assumed. He is qualified and has a rich manifesto to enhance development in the state.
He has the experience and cannot be wished away as Enugu goes to the polls.
Uche Nnaji (APC)
His party may not be popular in the state but Nwakibie as he is fondly called is loved by his people.
The Akpugo born businessman cannot be wished away in this contest as he appears to be keeping his strategy close to his chest. Pundits are keeping an eye on the APC flagbearer believing he could pull a stunt somewhere, somehow.
His closeness to Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State is also keeping other parties on their toes.
However, the crisis in his party is affecting him as all the big wigs like former Senate President Ken Nnamani and former Governor Sullivan Chime have openly declared support for PDP’s Peter Mbah.
FACTS, FACTORS that will throw up the next Governor
Analysts believe that the guber poll in Enugu is a direct battle between the PDP and Labour Party. Yet, one would only ignore the APGA and APC candidates at his peril.
PDP has the structure to win Saturday’s election. They have the advantage of a sitting Governor. It is immense, and they are counting it should give them an edge going into the election. They also have a good candidate.
On the other hand, Edeoga, another good candidate with experience, has Labour Party and the OBIdient movement on his side.
He is also counting on the support of the Nsukka Zone who voted LP massively in the last election.
Nsukka has the highest voting power than other zones. Their six LGA’s plus Isi-uzo is seen as an advantage for Edeoga and his Labour Party.
Therefore, the ability of the PDP to turn the mind’s and voting fingers of Enugu masses against Labour can do the magic. If the band wagon voting for Labour continues, then there could be trouble.
Moreso, having three candidates from Nkanu, the vexed issue of Odenigbo and Amadi (the caste system) may also further split the votes of the Nkanu people.
The Urban Local Governments of Enugu East, Enugu North and Enugu South are also areas the PDP ought to watch.
The voting pattern in Enugu West where Edeoga’s running mate comes from will also play a vital role in who becomes the next governor.
Conclusion:
Going by the voting pattern on February 25, analysts are of the view that the onus is on the PDP to turn the tide in their favour. Analysts also believe it’s a mission possible, yet difficult.
But, to achieve this, the PDP has to look inwards with rumours of sabotage from within the party. Major stakeholders who ought to diver the party are believed to have long sold out to the opposition.
The PDP must also break the Nsukka votes to stand a good chance of turning the table against Labour and the OBIdient movement in the state.
It will be a tight contest that could go either way. Barring all other unforseen circumstances and factors.
By Petrus Obi
Youths from the Oru area of Imo State have warned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, against what they described as continued attacks on the state Governor, Hope Uzodimma, following the minister’s latest comments on the governor’s political ambitions.
The youths, in a statement signed by Hon Chinemerem Obi, said Wike should refrain from interfering in the internal political affairs of Imo State, insisting that the political future of Governor Uzodimma and the people of the state should be determined through democratic processes.
Their reaction followed Wike’s appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Monday, where the minister said he would not support Uzodimma for the position of Senate President after the 2027 elections.
Wike alleged that some APC governors were attempting to influence the emergence of lawmakers who would support their preferred candidate for Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
He specifically linked the disagreement to Uzodimma, alleging that the Imo governor was positioning himself to become Senate President after leaving office.
According to Wike, Uzodimma’s tenure as governor would end in 2028 and he was allegedly planning to leave office, contest for the Senate and subsequently seek the Senate presidency.
Wike said he would not support the reported ambition.
The minister’s comments have drawn a fresh response from groups in Imo, with the Oru youths accusing him of turning a political disagreement into what they described as a personal campaign against the governor.
The youths said Wike’s opposition to Uzodimma’s reported Senate ambition was a political position to which he was entitled, but argued that the minister should not use his position to dictate the political choices of Imo people.
They also questioned why Wike was repeatedly focusing on Uzodimma amid the wider disagreement between him and APC governors over his proposed Rainbow Coalition.
The coalition has been promoted by Wike as a platform to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, despite Wike remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Wike has maintained that supporting Tinubu for president does not require politicians to support APC candidates in governorship or legislative elections.
The Oru youths said the reported ambition to become Senate President remained a political aspiration and should not be presented as an established fact.
They urged Wike to allow Imo voters and the relevant political institutions to determine who represents them at the National Assembly and who eventually emerges as Senate President.
The allegation about Uzodimma’s Senate presidency ambition has also been made publicly by APC chieftain Tajudeen Olesin, who recently claimed that the governor planned to resign before the end of his tenure, contest for the Senate and seek the Senate presidency. That claim was presented as Olesin’s assertion, rather than an announcement by Uzodimma himself.
The youths further appealed to political leaders in the Southeast to avoid statements that could deepen political divisions in the region.
They maintained that disagreements over the 2027 elections, legislative contests and political succession should be settled through democratic engagement rather than personal exchanges.
The development comes amid increasing political tension between Wike and several APC governors over the minister’s political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Earlier, a group identified as Imo Lawyers for the Defence of Democracy also called on Wike to stop what it described as personal attacks on Uzodimma, arguing that political disagreements should be addressed through dialogue and democratic institutions.
The latest controversy is expected to keep the political relationship between Wike and Uzodimma under close scrutiny as preparations for the 2027 elections intensify.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed concerns by some All Progressives Congress governors that the proposed Rainbow Coalition could weaken the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Monday, Wike said the coalition was primarily focused on mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, while allowing politicians to support candidates of their preferred parties in governorship and legislative elections.
Wike argued that supporting Tinubu for president would not prevent politicians from backing other candidates in elections at the state and National Assembly levels.
He cited the experience of the G5 governors during the 2023 elections, saying the group supported Tinubu’s presidential bid while their respective parties retained their candidates for other positions.
“In 2023, core leadership G5, we said we are going to support Mr President. But we never said that all our candidates in other elections will fail,” Wike said.
The FCT minister alleged that some APC governors were opposing the coalition because of their political interests, particularly efforts to influence the emergence of the next Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
He specifically accused Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodimma, of positioning himself to become Senate President after leaving office.
According to Wike, governors seeking to control the emergence of senators and House of Representatives members could ultimately influence the choice of the presiding officers of the National Assembly.
He alleged that politicians who failed to secure APC tickets could contest under other platforms, win their elections and refuse to support candidates favoured by the governors for the leadership of the National Assembly.
Wike also declared that he would not support Uzodimma for Senate President.
“Life or death, I will never support a character of Hope Uzodimma to be the Senate President of Nigeria. Everybody knows that,” he said.
His comments came days after APC governors declared that they would neither participate in nor support any political alliance capable of weakening the party, affecting its candidates or undermining Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Uzodimma, who read the governors’ communique, said their support would remain exclusively for APC candidates at all levels.
Wike, however, maintained that the Rainbow Coalition was not designed to weaken or take over the APC, insisting that its primary objective was to mobilise support for Tinubu across party lines.
He also dismissed reports that Tinubu had agreed to concede nine states to the PDP or the Rainbow Coalition as part of a political arrangement ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Let us help Nigerians. Let’s get the facts. Who are… which are those states? Tell us. That they said the President agreed with me that he has conceded nine states,” Wike said.
The minister said he intended to campaign for Tinubu based on the administration’s record, citing issues such as the President’s support for state police and what he described as the devolution of resources and powers to the states.
Wike further disclosed that Tinubu was aware of the Rainbow Coalition and understood his political activities.
“As I speak to you here, Mr President knows about my concept, of the rainbow coalition…. Mr President understands me very well,” he said.
The dispute has heightened tensions within the ruling party as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 elections.
Meanwhile, sources within the APC said that the party’s National Working Committee was working behind the scenes to broker a truce between the opposing camps.
The sources said the process was expected to advance following the return of APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, from vacation, with plans for the NWC to meet President Tinubu and discuss ways of resolving the disagreement.
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu provided about ₦50 billion to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to support the expansion and upgrade of Ibadan Airport.
Wike made the disclosure on Monday during an appearance on TVC News’ Journalists’ Hangout, while dismissing claims that he was the only member of the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) G5 governors to benefit from the Tinubu administration.
According to Wike, Tinubu also extended financial support to Makinde despite their political differences.
“The president has also extended his hand of support to the governor of Oyo State by providing funds for him to expand Oyo airport with a whopping sum of 50 billion naira,” Wike said.
The minister also cited former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who he said currently serve as Nigeria’s ambassadors to Spain and Greece respectively.
Wike argued that it was therefore incorrect to suggest that he alone among the G5 governors had benefited from the Tinubu administration, saying the President had supported other members of the group in different ways.
The G5 consisted of Wike, Makinde, Ikpeazu, Ugwuanyi and former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom. The group opposed the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, during the 2023 election and backed Tinubu.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Ahead of the 2027 National Assembly elections, a mass protest voting movement may be building up in Anambra South Senatorial District, following reported moves by members of major political parties to support the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Chief Ebuka Onunkwo.
The development is said to be linked to grievances among some members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and remnants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the treatment allegedly meted out to Onunkwo during previous political contests.
Onunkwo, who had previously contested the Anambra South senatorial seat under APGA, later emerged as the NDC candidate for the 2027 election.
Although the ADC is currently embroiled in legal disputes over the authentic candidates and the conduct of its primary elections, some members of the APC and APGA are also reportedly dissatisfied with developments within their respective parties.
It was gathered that a section of APGA members, in particular, are backing Onunkwo as a form of protest over the conduct of the party’s senatorial primary, while some members of other parties are also believed to be considering voting for him irrespective of their party affiliations.
Confirming the growing support for Onunkwo, the Chief Executive Officer of NOWAS Oil and Gas Limited and a major stakeholder in Anambra South politics, Chief Ignesus Ikechukwudere Nnubia, said the NDC candidate currently enjoys widespread acceptability across party lines.
Nnubia said the growing support for Onunkwo had made his party affiliation less significant, arguing that voters would ultimately vote according to their conscience and assessment of the candidates.
He said, “At the moment, the number of APGA members with him and supporting him makes one wonder what is left of that party. Even the remnants of the PDP have pitched their tents with him, while members of the ruling APC at the national level are also behind him.
“So, the party that he belongs to is not a factor at all. You know that it is a game of numbers, and people are going to vote according to their conscience and not necessarily because of the political party they belong to.
“People are not bound to vote for their party, and some of them are ready and willing to vote for him.
“We are not talking about the party because he will surely get votes from the NDC, APGA, APC and even other political parties that are already closing ranks to support him as their candidate.”
Nnubia further described Onunkwo as the candidate currently standing tall among the contenders for the Anambra South senatorial seat, expressing confidence that his emergence would usher in what he described as a “new dawn” for the district.
He said political parties should not be the major consideration for voters, stressing that what matters most is the ability of elected representatives to improve the lives of their constituents.
According to him, political parties exist because of the people, and therefore the influence of party structures and incumbency has its limits during elections.
Nnubia said those factors would ultimately be tested by the electorate in the 2027 election, which he described as a contest in which voters’ choices would determine the outcome.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 Ebonyi State election, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, has pledged to attract more than ₦2 trillion in private-sector investment to the state within six months of assuming office if elected.
Odii made the pledge while addressing supporters in Lagos ahead of the formal commencement of his campaign.
He said his investment strategy would cover key sectors of the Ebonyi economy, including mining, hospitality, real estate and manufacturing.
According to the PDP candidate, he has identified more than 2,000 prospective investors, each capable of investing about ₦1 billion in the state.
“I have over 2,000 people who can invest ₦1 billion each. When you multiply it, you will get over ₦2 trillion. This has been structured in such a way that all aspects of the economy will be involved,” Odii said.
He said the proposed investment drive was designed not only to inject capital into the state but also to create jobs, expand the productive base of the economy and provide opportunities for young people and entrepreneurs.
Odii said Ebonyi’s natural resources and strategic location placed it in a strong position to attract large-scale investments if its economic potential was properly harnessed.
He promised that his administration would prioritise private-sector participation, industrialisation and job creation while creating an enabling environment for both local and foreign investors.
The candidate also said existing businesses in the state would be supported to expand, while new investors would be encouraged to establish operations across various sectors.
His pledge comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with economic development, employment generation and wealth creation featuring prominently in his campaign message.
The proposed ₦2 trillion investment target within six months, if achieved, would represent a significant boost to Ebonyi’s economy and rank among the most ambitious private-sector investment mobilisation plans proposed in the state.
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