The leadership crisis rocking the Enugu State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has escalated, with the state chairman, Dr. John Paul Ani, threatening legal action against the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ossa Director, over allegations of fraud and impersonation.
Addressing journalists in Enugu, Dr. Ani dismissed claims that he was illegally parading himself as the chairman of the party in the state, describing the allegations as “laughable, malicious and desperate attempts” by political opportunists to hijack the party structure through backdoor arrangements.
The controversy followed a recent publication by the National Publicity Secretary, which labeled Dr. Ani an impostor and disowned his leadership of the Enugu chapter.
Reacting to the development, Dr. Ani accused some members of the national leadership of inconsistency, noting that the same individuals now denying his legitimacy had previously worked closely with him. He alleged that their sudden change of position was influenced by external political interests and financial inducements.
According to him, he remains one of the foundational stakeholders who committed personal resources, time and political structure to building the NDC in Enugu State, adding that his efforts earned him appointment as a member of the party’s Congress Appeals Committee.
Dr. Ani maintained that the only valid state congress of the party in Enugu was conducted at Aborigine Hall in full compliance with electoral guidelines and in the presence of security agencies, media personnel and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He alleged that the congress was disrupted by thugs sponsored by desperate politicians seeking to seize the party structure by force but insisted that the attempt failed. He added that his executive possesses video evidence of the exercise.
The embattled chairman further stated that the congress which produced his executive was organized and supervised by the official Congress Committee sent to Enugu by the party’s national secretariat.
He also accused some officials within the national secretariat of attempting to stage what he described as a “political coup” by writing to INEC on May 6, 2026, seeking approval to conduct parallel ward, local government and state congresses in Enugu between May 16 and 18, 2026.
Although INEC acknowledged the letter on May 8, he claimed the information was concealed from stakeholders in the state until May 14, just two days before the proposed exercises.
Dr. Ani said the planned parallel congresses were eventually halted after a court issued an order restraining the national secretariat from conducting fresh congresses in the state.
He urged members of the public and lovers of democracy to disregard what he described as defamatory statements against him, insisting they were part of efforts to undermine a constitutionally conducted congress through propaganda and blackmail.
Turning against his accusers, Dr. Ani challenged the National Publicity Secretary to provide evidence that he sold Expression of Interest or Nomination forms to any aspirant, warning that failure to do so would attract legal consequences for defamation.
The NDC chairman also alleged ongoing extortion within the state chapter, claiming that some State House of Assembly aspirants were being compelled to pay ₦400,000 into a private bank account allegedly controlled by a self-acclaimed party official.
He called on the national leadership to investigate the alleged extortion and suspicious financial transactions rather than sponsoring media attacks capable of damaging the party’s image.
Citing Section 12(17) of the party’s constitution, Dr. Ani argued that all initial officers of the party remain protected until valid congresses are conducted.
He therefore urged the national leadership to formally recognize the outcome of the May 4, 2026 congress in Enugu, insisting that since the court restrained the proposed parallel congresses, his executive remains the only lawful leadership of the party in the state.
To support his claims, Dr. Ani presented journalists with an official letter dated April 30, 2026, reportedly written by the former caretaker chairman and acknowledged by INEC, detailing the venue, date and time of the congress.
He also displayed what he described as the final report submitted to the National Executive Committee (NEC) by the party’s Congress Committee, which allegedly confirmed that the assignment in Enugu was successfully concluded and recognized his executive as the duly elected leadership of the state chapter.

A veteran journalist and former Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu, Abuchi Anueyiagu, has criticised former Nigerian Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, over comments contained in his memoir on the Nigeria/Biafra civil war, accusing him of waiting until the death of Biafran leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, before presenting what he described as a distorted account of the Aburi Accord.
Anueyiagu, who is also a public affairs analyst, alleged that Gowon remained silent while Ojukwu was alive and only chose to publish his version of events years after the former Biafran leader’s death, when he could no longer respond.
In a strongly worded statement, the veteran journalist accused Gowon of being “recalcitrant and unremorseful” over the prosecution of the civil war and the killings of Igbo people during the conflict, particularly referencing the massacre of Igbo males in Asaba during the war.
According to him, Ojukwu had, during his lifetime, publicly narrated what transpired at the Aburi meeting in Ghana between himself and Gowon, explaining that both leaders’ secretaries jointly drafted the Aburi Agreement, which was subsequently accepted by the parties and announced by the then Ghanaian Head of State, General Akufo, who brokered the peace accord.
Anueyiagu argued that Gowon never refuted Ojukwu’s claims while the former Biafran leader was alive, insisting that his silence at the time amounted to acceptance of the account as factual.
He therefore questioned why the former military ruler allegedly “made a volte face” in his recently published memoir, more than 15 years after Ojukwu’s death.
“It is a bizarre shame, wickedness and cruelty for Gowon to wait until Ojukwu’s death before spreading what many consider falsehoods in his so-called biography,” Anueyiagu stated.
He described the development as “a cowardly act of lying,” insisting that historical accounts of the civil war must be truthful, balanced and sensitive to the memories of victims and survivors of the conflict.
The comments have further reignited debates surrounding the Nigeria/Biafra civil war, the implementation of the Aburi Accord, and unresolved grievances linked to the 1967–1970 conflict.

Former governor of Anambra State and presidential aspirant under the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has pushed back against suggestions that he is avoiding former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Obi made the remarks on Friday in Cape Town, South Africa, on the sidelines of the Spier Dialogue 2026, a pan-African governance forum.

“There are very few human beings who are as close as I am to Atiku. So I can’t be running from him. This man is my very respected leader and elder brother.

“I don’t run from him. Never. It has nothing to do with running from anybody. I’ve never run from anybody. I just believe that I do things differently,” he said.

The remarks come against the backdrop of a bruising few months in their political relationship.

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…Mbah administration moves to boost transparency, accelerate C-of-O processing
The Enugu State Government has launched a fully digitized land transaction and documentation system for the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation (ESHDC) as part of Governor Peter Mbah’s ongoing reforms aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, efficiency, and investor confidence in the state’s land administration sector.
The digital transformation initiative, officially unveiled during the commissioning of the corporation’s digitized office operations and workflow system in Enugu, is expected to revolutionize land documentation, payment processing, records management, and issuance of Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O), while eliminating delays and irregularities associated with manual procedures.
Speaking at the event, Governor Mbah said the initiative aligned with the administration’s broader vision of building a modern, technology-driven public service architecture capable of supporting investment and sustainable urban development.
The governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, stressed that the digitization project reflects one of the administration’s core governance philosophies focused on transparency, traceability, accountability, and seamless service delivery.
According to him, the state government recognizes that for Enugu to emerge as a preferred investment destination, investors and property owners must have confidence in the integrity and reliability of government processes.
“What we are doing today is a reminder that the governance principles set out by our administration are demonstrable. Technology is one of the key enablers to ensure accountability, transparency, and improved service delivery,” he stated.
He noted that the digital platform would enable residents and investors to verify property documents electronically, conduct land searches seamlessly, and confidently use property documents as collateral for financial transactions.
The governor further commended staff of the Housing Development Corporation for embracing reforms and aligning with the administration’s transformation agenda, describing the initiative as “a change in the culture of how government business is done.”
Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Barr. Chimaobi Okorie, described the digitization exercise as an offshoot of Governor Mbah’s campaign promise to modernize land administration in line with Sustainable Development Goal 15, which promotes sustainable land use and resource management.
He recalled that shortly after assuming office, the governor signed the Enugu State Geographic Information Systems (ENGIS) Law to provide legal backing for the digitization of the state’s land administration framework.
“What we are witnessing today is a continuation of that vision. The Housing Development Corporation, being a commercial arm of government, is aligning with the digital standards already being implemented across the state,” he said.
Okorie explained that the new digital process would guarantee document security, eliminate cases of missing files, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen stakeholder confidence in the housing sector.
He added that the reform would also boost internally generated revenue and support ongoing efforts to bridge the housing deficit through increased private sector participation and estate development.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on ICT, Nnaemeka Ani, described the initiative as further evidence of Governor Mbah’s commitment to e-governance and digital transformation.
According to him, the Housing Development Corporation can now process land documentation digitally, receive payments electronically, and integrate seamlessly with the state’s Geographic Information Systems platform.
“Today, Enugu State is fast becoming the centre of e-governance in Nigeria because we have a digital governor. What we are seeing here today is part of the governor’s deliberate effort to transform how government works for the benefit of the people,” he added.
A major highlight of the project was the role played by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Revenue, Adenike Okebu, whose office coordinated the transition process and implementation framework for the digital migration.
Okebu, credited with driving extensive digital and financial audits across the corporation to ensure transparency, accountability, and operational readiness before deployment of the system, praised the governor for supporting the digital infrastructure that made the transition possible.
She stated that the audit process laid the foundation for the seamless migration from manual to digital operations, assuring that available properties can now be accessed through the online portal.
In her remarks, the Director of Administration of the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, Precious Nnaji, described the commissioning as a historic milestone in the corporation’s modernization and institutional reform drive.
She said the digitized workflow system would significantly improve communication, data security, document processing, operational coordination, and productivity across departments, while positioning the corporation to meet the growing housing needs of the state.
“This initiative is not merely about computers and technology; it is about creating a smarter, faster, and more responsive corporation capable of meeting the housing and administrative needs of Enugu State,” she said.