Politics
Mbah a Big Catch for APC – Former Enugu Senatorial Candidate
Princess Ogbu who was the senatorial candidate of the APC in Enugu East during the 2023 general elections, warned that fighting the governor’s entry would be a grave political miscalculation for anyone who truly wants the party to grow in Enugu State.
“I was very happy elated when the governor decided to join us,” Princess Ada Ogbu stated in an interview. She said Mbah’s entry into the APC was not only historic but fulfilled “every politician’s aspiration for power at the state and national levels,” particularly given the governor’s visible achievements in office.
“We are in power in Enugu State now,” she declared. “I can see the government is working. Supporting him to join the APC is a natural thing for me because he has done well.”
Addressing the internal pushback from some party members and heated social media debates, Princess Ada Ogbu dismissed claims that she had “stepped on toes,” insisting that politics is about interests and shifting alliances, not personal battles.
“Politicians can be colleagues and still hold different opinions,” she said. “I won’t let anyone shape my opinion for me—I am an accomplished woman in my own right, an accomplished politician in my own right.”
She drew a parallel with the party’s own origins. “If Bola Tinubu of ACN did not align with Muhammadu Buhari of CPC, we wouldn’t have the APC of today. Realignments happen in politics. You go where your interest and the interest of your people are best served.”
Princess Ogbu described Mbah as a “big catch” for the APC, particularly in the Southeast where the party has struggled to secure a strong foothold.
“It’s a plus for the APC that they have a governor in Peter Mbah,” she asserted. “Why would I now fight Peter Mbah in a party that I helped to form? He is also my brother from Nkanu East, and a performing one.”
She called on dissenting voices to “change and support Peter Mbah,” emphasizing that opposition to his integration into the party undermines its growth. “It will make no sense not supporting a sitting governor into your party,” she added, making it clear she would not challenge the National Working Committee’s decision to dissolve the state structure.
“We have the National Chairman. We have the party leader, who is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and that decision has been made. I will not fight it and will encourage everybody, including those who feel aggrieved by the Governor’s entrance, to change and come back into the fold.”
Describing politics as “ndorondoro ka ana akpo ya”— a game of shifting alliances — Ada Ogbu reiterated that “there are no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, only permanent interests.”
She cited past rivalries that turned to alliances, including with Prince Lawrence Ezeh and Senator Kelvin Chukwu, as well as Chijioke Edeoga’s post-election collaboration with Mbah. “Grudges should not hinder progress,” she stressed.
Princess Ogbu’s defiance is deeply rooted in a legacy of independent political thought shaped by her father, Eze Odenigbo I of Nara Unateze — a revered philanthropist and kingmaker who championed Chimaroke Nnamani in the late 1990s. Unlike her father, however, she charted a progressive opposition path.
“He wanted me to join the PDP. He even got me a PDP membership card once, but I refused,” she recounted. “We didn’t agree on politics as I was more of an opposition. I was more progressive in thinking.”
Educated in Political Science at the University of Pittsburgh and holding a Master’s from the University of Port Harcourt, she credited her global exposure for her independent streak. “He didn’t send me to England and America to study for me to come and not have a mind of my own,” she said.
She recalled how her father once defied then-Governor Nnamani during the Senate leadership tussle, telling him, “You cannot dethrone me. When I was a man of influence, you were still a child running around naked.”
Her strong position on Mbah’s defection is backed by her deep roots in the APC. She joined the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Lagos during the 2011 elections, drawn to Buhari’s “discipline, integrity, and uncompromising attitude towards corruption.”
When CPC merged with Tinubu’s Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2014, she became a registered member in Ikoyi-Obalende under the leadership of Wale Edun. Her close ties to Tinubu’s ally Kola Awodein and his wife, Mrs. Amaka Awodein, gave her access to the party’s inner circle.
She worked as an APC agent during the 2015 presidential election and played a key role in resolving party crises in Enugu in 2014. Returning to Nara, she contested senatorial primaries in 2019 and 2023 — winning a Supreme Court affirmation as the rightful 2019 candidate.
To Princess Ogbu, the governor’s defection is not a disruption but an opportunity to build a stronger, more competitive APC in the Southeast. She described it as “a moment of pride for Enugu,” echoing the legacy of political elders like Godwin Odenigwe and Christian Chukwuma Onoh, who fought for the state’s creation.
“For my generation, being from Enugu became a point of pride,” she said. Calling on dissenters to “follow suit,” she positioned herself as a bridge-builder determined to secure the party’s future.
Political observers say her strong defense of Mbah’s entry could either cement a new power bloc in Enugu APC or deepen internal divisions if dissent continues. But for Princess Ada Ogbu, the message is clear: “This is politics. And in politics, you don’t fight your biggest asset.”
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.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The planned visit of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to Anambra State has sparked controversy following a protest by the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Emma Anosike, that the party was not informed about the visit.
Anosike said the APC in Anambra was never consulted or briefed about the proposed visit, adding that the party was taken aback by reports that the wife of the party’s national leader and presidential candidate, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would be visiting the state without recourse to the state chapter.
He said, “It is indeed strange that the First Lady of our presidential candidate is visiting Anambra State without recourse to the party in the state.
“The party wishes to state categorically that we are not part of the arrangements for the reception of our First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, because the party was never put in the picture.”
Anosike also dismissed the mantra that “The Progressives Are Working Together”, being canvassed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), describing it as a smokescreen by the ruling party in Anambra to hijack President Tinubu’s re-election from the APC.
He said, “For instance, the APGA-led government in Anambra State did not interface with us on the organisation of the visit, and the party wonders if the progressives are indeed working together.”
The APC chairman, however, said the development would not compromise the First Lady’s visit, urging all APC members and supporters in the state to turn out and give Senator Oluremi Tinubu a warm welcome.
He stressed that despite the party’s reservations over the arrangements, APC members remained committed to welcoming the First Lady to Anambra State.
Former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Sagir Saleh, has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Saleh, who served as deputy governor under former Governor Isa Yuguda, announced his resignation in a letter submitted to the party leadership in Katagum Local Government Area.
He cited personal reasons for his decision but did not provide further details.
His exit comes amid growing disagreements within the Bauchi APC following the party’s 2027 governorship primary. Other prominent members, including former governorship aspirant Bala Jibrin and Sunusi Kunde, an associate of Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, have also reportedly left the party.
Jibrin, a former National Auditor of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), resigned on August 31, 2026, following his opposition to the emergence of former Bauchi Governor Muhammad Abubakar as the APC’s 2027 governorship candidate.
He had criticised the primary process and questioned how the candidate emerged.
Kunde also resigned from the APC in August, submitting his resignation to the party chairman of Beti Ward in Misau Local Government Area.
The latest departures are coming as efforts continue to resolve internal disputes and disagreements among APC members in the state.
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has raised the alarm over an alleged plot to assassinate former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 general election.
Ayodele issued the warning in a video shared on his verified X account on Sunday, urging both opposition figures to strengthen their security and remain vigilant.
The cleric did not identify those allegedly behind the purported plot but claimed that attempts were being made to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
According to him, divine intervention would prevent the alleged plan from succeeding.
“Obi and Atiku, be very conscious of your security. They are looking for any means to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
“But God will never allow it to happen. Watch out and be cautious about your security,” he said.
Ayodele also urged President Bola Tinubu to reconsider travelling to the United States, alleging that there were forces in America working against his political fortunes.
The claims come as political activities and realignments intensify ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
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