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Breaking: Odengene hosts Enugu PDP guber candidate, pledges support
Former Peoples’ Democratic Party’s governorship aspirant in Enugu state, Captain Evarest Nnaji, “Odengene” has thrown his weight behind the party’s gubernatorial flagbearer, Barr. Peter Mbah.
Odengene made this known to his teeming supporters across the 17 local government areas of the state in a grand reception organised in honour of Barr. Mbah on Sunday, 12th June, 2022 in his compound at the Government Reservation Area (GRA), Enugu.
In his speech Odengene stated that the party was supreme and bigger than individual’s interest.
He underscored the struggle that took place in the run up to the party’s primaries and appreciated his supporters for the decorous and civilized ways they conducted themselves through the campaign period.
While recounting the intrigues that played out before the primary elections, Odengene recalled his several meetings with Barr. Mbah and their mutual agreement to support each other should any of them emerge the party’s flagbearer.
According to him, the reception was necessary in order to inform his different support groups the new direction and to also assure the party’s flagbearer that he was solidly behind him.
He promised to work hard to ensure victory for PDP in the 2023 Governoship election in Enugu.
Odengene pledged to mobilize for Barr. Mbah’s campaign tours both financial and human resources and even after his emergence as governor of the state.
He, therefore, charged his cheering supporters to join hands and work with the flagbearer.
“I thank you all for your support. I was overwhelmed with the level of support I received from you across the 17 local government areas throughout our journey until the election day. Even after that, you kept faith with our mission. I’m honoured and we shall continue to work together for the development of our state.
“Let me inform you that our journey has not ended with the outcome of the primary election. We are still in the race but in a different dimension. We are going to channel all our support and energy to see that our brother, friend, kinsman and ally, Barr. Mbah is given a resounding victory in 2023. We must, therefore, continue to mobilize for him. We must support the PDP. It’s our great party. It’s time to harness all our resources towards the electoral victory of Barr. Mbah.
“Barr. Mbah is my brother and we are from the same local government area—Nkanu East. He is competent and qualified for the job. Like myself, he is a successful industrialist and businessman. He will be bringing his wealth of experiences to bear in the transformation of our state. It’s time to give him total support and ensure his total victory,” the pilot-prenuer added.
On his part, the party’s flagbearer, Barr. Mbah expressed his delight at what he saw. He described the struggle to the Lion Building come 2023 as a collective project that entailed the contribution of everyone.
According to Mbah, nobody in Odengene’s camp would be discriminated against, assuring that all interests would be accommodated and treated with equal priority.
Mbah who further said that the primary election of last month was like a family affair among siblings added that he was only nominated to represent the interests of others.
He, therefore, called for merger of all interests groups in order to deliver his candidacy in the general elections.
“I want you to understand that we are all going to merge because we’ve been together and we’ll always be together, and you’re not going to be discriminated. You’re all going to be part of the campaign going forward. Nobody is coming to say to you that you’re not one of us or that you don’t belong to our team.
“We are all one. We are one big PDP family. That umbrella is big enough to accommodate everybody.
“I want to tell you also in that line, and to remind you that we still have a task ahead. That task is one we have with the adversaries. Those adversaries are the ones we must defeat. It’s not the type we had on the 26 of last month. That one was Umunna dialogue. The one ahead is a serious task and we have to begin to mobilize. We have to begin to put our people together to get them ready for that task ahead. That’s the one we have to go as a family and defeat the adversaries.
“I’m delighted that this is happening now because we are all going to be together. There’ll be no discrimination. I’m going to talk to my people, and everybody is going to be well integrated.
“I’m going to be meeting with whoever is the head of your organization, and we’re going to make sure it’s an integral part of what we are doing; from the hierarchy—state, zonal, local government and ward levels are all going to be integrated,” the 2023 governorship hopeful assured.
Meanwhile, members of the Odengene People’s Movement have indicated their readiness to give Mbah 100 percent victory in the forthcoming election by harnessing their grassroots mobilisation strength to draw voters towards his transformation agenda for the state.
Reactions have trailed to trail the disclosure by the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, that Nigerian soldiers now earn a minimum monthly salary of N100,000 following recent welfare reforms by the Federal Government.
Veterans and serving personnel have described the amount as grossly inadequate in the face of Nigeria’s rising cost of living, while some accused the Federal Government of failing to implement a more substantial salary review promised months ago.
The criticism comes amid renewed concerns over troop welfare, military funding, and the effectiveness of efforts to boost morale among personnel battling insecurity across the country.
A retired soldier, Abdul Isiak, argued that the current salary falls far short of what is needed to meet basic living expenses.
“It is not enough at all. What is N100,000 in the current situation of the country? It cannot go far. They should do better. If soldiers are paid more, they will be more motivated and committed to their duties,” he said.
Another retired military officer, Sergeant Zaki Williams, questioned the accuracy of the figure disclosed by the minister and described the amount as inadequate for personnel who risk their lives in service to the nation.
“I doubt if they are even paying up to that amount now. Even if they are, it is too little. Any government paying a soldier N100,000 in today’s economy is not serious enough about the welfare of its troops,” he said.
Williams noted that soldiers face enormous challenges and deserve better remuneration and working conditions.
Also reacting, the Coordinator of the Coalition for Concerned Veterans, Abiodun Herbert-Durowaye, said the salary does not reflect the sacrifices made by military personnel.
“How can that be sufficient for someone putting his life on the line for the country? Consider the cost of food, housing, transportation, and children’s education. N100,000 is far from adequate for those responsible for protecting the nation’s peace and security,” he stated.
The reactions followed comments by the Minister of Defence during an interview with News Central, where he disclosed that the minimum monthly salary of soldiers had increased from N49,000 to N100,000 under the current administration.
According to the minister, the Federal Government has made deliberate efforts to improve troop welfare despite funding challenges facing the military.
“When they started, a soldier was collecting N49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting N100,000,” he said.
Musa, however, acknowledged that the defence sector remains underfunded and requires greater financial support to effectively address the country’s security challenges.
The minister also advocated stricter penalties for kidnapping, including the possibility of introducing the death penalty for convicted kidnappers, arguing that stronger deterrents are necessary to curb the growing wave of abductions across the country.
The debate over soldiers’ welfare comes at a time when the military continues to confront multiple security threats, with stakeholders insisting that improved remuneration, better equipment, and enhanced welfare packages are critical to boosting morale and operational effectiveness.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced that travellers in the United States seeking Nigerian visas must now submit their applications directly at Nigerian diplomatic missions following the termination of its contract with a third-party visa processing company.
The new directive, which takes immediate effect, ends the role previously played by Online Integrated Solutions (OIS Services), which had been responsible for receiving and processing Nigerian visa applications through its centres across the United States.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the NIS Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, said visa applicants are now required to submit their documents directly at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, D.C., or at the Nigerian Consulates in New York and Atlanta until further notice.
The immigration service did not state the reason for ending its partnership with OIS Services.
However, Akinlabi assured applicants that adequate measures have been put in place at the embassy and consulates to ensure a smooth transition. He added that visa submission, processing and approval would continue without disruption.
He also urged prospective travellers to monitor the official communication channels of the Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigerian diplomatic missions in the United States for updates on visa application procedures.
A Professor of Economics and Governance, Prof. Chiwuike Uba, has called on South African Government to take active responsibility of protecting foreigner and desist from ‘compromising inaction’.
Uba, Chairman of the ACUF Initiative for Policy and Governance, made the call on Thursday in Enugu in a statement he titled: “South Africa Is Playing with Fire, and Its Elites Are Holding the Match”.
He said that the lack of intentional action against the individuals and groups perpetrate the xenophobic attacks, who are non-state actors, raises serious questions under international law.
The don noted that “protection of non-nationals is a clear obligation, not a discretionary act.”
According to him, persistent failure to uphold this responsibility undermines both legal commitments and diplomatic credibility.
Uba said that the implications of the development extend far beyond South Africa, adding that it would have economically, politically and diplomatically consequences both to the country and Africa in general.
He noted that economically, the country is not just another market.
“It is a continental anchor. Its financial systems, industrial base, and regional linkages make it central to African growth.
“Prolonged instability would ripple outward, constraining trade, deterring investment, and weakening regional integration,” he said.
On the Political aspect, he said that South Africa had long been seen as a model of democratic transition and constitutionalism.
“If that model begins to fracture, it sends a powerful signal across the continent.
“It emboldens those who argue that institutional democracy cannot deliver, and it weakens reformist voices elsewhere,” he said.
Uba said that diplomatically, xenophobic violence is not a domestic issue when it targets foreign nationals.
He said, “It is an international concern that tests regional solidarity and diplomatic patience.
“Each episode forces other African governments to respond, balancing domestic outrage with the need to preserve bilateral relations.”
The don noted that over time, the balance in the country would becomes harder to maintain as non-state actors would be emboldened to perpetrate other unlawful acts as they view the government as weak or inactive.
The Apex sociocultural youth organization of the Igbo race worldwide, Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), has described the current arrest made by the Independent Corrupt Practice and Other Related Offence (ICPC) against former Minister of Science and Technology and the 2027 People Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Enugu State, Hon. Uche Nnaji, regarding his certificate, as a deliberate political witch-hunt orchestrated by the Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency Gov. Peter Mbah.
In a press address in Enugu on Wednesday, 8th July 2026, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), called on Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to maintain the commission’s ethical standards, threatening to seek his removal if evidence confirms the alleged bias of ICPC in favor of Governor Peter Mbah against Hon. Uche Nnaji regarding the 2027 Guber election.
*The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) revealed that the fight against Hon. Uche Nnaji is a battle for the Enugu Governorship and the “Lions Building Seat” in 2027, and dismissed the certificate forgery allegations against Uche Nnaji as a political distraction and blackmail.*
The surreptitious entry into the court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to obtain a court order detaining Hon Uche Nnaji is a teleguided executive overreach attributed to Gov Peter Mbah apparently aimed at silencing Hon Uche Nnaji, which is highly censurable.
The Council stated that “A court of competent jurisdiction is presently handling the unsubstantiated certificate forgery case, and the University of Nigeria Nsukka and Hon Uche Nnaji have opted for an out-of-court settlement, following recent findings of misinformation.
Therefore, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), should maintain a neutral stance regarding the Enugu State Governorship battle to preserve his reputation built through his legal career and public service, and avoid being perceived as succumbing to Governor Peter Mbah’s alleged attempts to utilize executive power to blackmail and witch-hunt Hon. Uche Nnaji.
The Ohanaeze Youth Council(OYC) warned Governor Peter Mbah to concentrate on fulfilling his unfulfilled campaign promises to Enugu State rather than chasing Hon Uche Nnaji through the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)
Families displaced by the recent fire outbreak in the Asata area of Enugu have received immediate relief from the Enugu State Government following the intervention of Governor Peter Mbah, who directed that palliative support be provided to ease their suffering.
Chairman of the Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (ESEMA), Chinasa Mbah, disclosed that the agency promptly delivered the relief materials in compliance with the governor’s directive.
“We have given them some palliative as directed by His Excellency. Our report has equally gone in, and we await further instructions,” Mbah said.
She explained that ESEMA has completed its assessment of the incident and submitted its recommendations to the state government, adding that additional assistance for the affected families will depend on the governor’s approval of the agency’s report.
The swift response underscores Governor Mbah’s commitment to standing with citizens in times of distress. The victims, whose homes and belongings were destroyed in the fire that gutted two flats in a two-storey building on Church Road, Asata, are expected to receive further support as the government considers ESEMA’s recommendations.
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