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#Election2023 Results: Tinubu wins Ekiti, Atiku tops in Osun, LP clears Enugu
The results of Saturday’s presidential election so far declared indicate that the All Progressives Congress standard bearer, Bola Tinubu, has won the poll in Ekiti State while his Peoples Democratic Party counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, came top in Osun State.
On the other hand, the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, is leading his opponents in Edo State where he has recorded an early lead in eight LGAs.
Tinubu, who polled over 201,494 votes across the 13 local government areas of Ekiti State, was announced the winner by the state Collation Officer, Prof Akeem Lasisi, on Sunday.
Lasisi, who is the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila Orangun, Osun State, further disclosed that the PDP scored 89,554 votes while the LP garnered 11,397 votes just as the New Nigerian Peoples Party got 264 votes in the state.
He said, “Ekiti has a total of 988,923 registered voters; out of this, the number of accredited voters is 315,058. Total valid votes, 308,171; the number of rejected votes 6,301 and total votes cast, 314,470. This is the final result of the presidential election in Ekiti State.”
The APC candidate is also leading in Oyo State where he was declared the winner in 31 out of 33 local government areas announced so far.
The results were announced by the local government collation officers at the INEC office in Ibadan, the state capital, under the supervision of the acting Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Prof Babatunde Olusola.
Other results showed that the former Lagos State governor had won nine LGA so far declared in Kwara State.
The results indicate that the APC came first in Oke Ero, Ilorin East, Asa, Offa, Ekiti, Irepodun, Isin, Oyun and Ilorin South.
The result of Ilorin West which is the fourth local government in Kwara Central Senatorial zone has yet to be collated while that of six other LGAs were being expected as of press time.
Similarly, the APC performed well in six out of the seven local government areas of Katsina State which results were declared as of Sunday afternoon.
The LGAs are Matazu, Dutsi, Charanchi, Ingawa, Musawa and Kaita. But the PDP won in the Batsari LGA.
The returning officer for Batsari LGA, Prof Aliyu Sabo, disclosed that the election could not be held in two wards of the council due to the activities of terrorists which scared away voters.
However, he did not reveal the names of the two wards, promising to do so in his formal report on the election.
The results of the seven councils were announced on Sunday afternoon in Katsina by the returning officers for the councils at the premises of the state headquarters of INEC.
The session was later postponed till 1.10pm as other officials were being awaited with their results.
Meanwhile, the results of the National Assembly elections were still being collated at the headquarters of each senatorial zone as of the time of filing this report.
In Osun State, the PDP presidential candidate won in 20 of the 30 LGAs announced by the state Collation Officer, Prof. Tolulope Ogunsola, at the INEC office in Osogbo on Sunday.
Atiku won Ede North and South, the two local areas under Ede town, where the state governor, Ademola Adeleke hails from.
The party also won in Boluwaduro, Ifedayo, Ila, local government, where ex-Osun Governor, Bisi Akande hails from; Odo Otin, ex-governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s LGA, Orolu, Egbedore and Ilesa East, the local government of the Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola.
Osun results
The PDP equally cleared Irepodun, Ife-South, Ife-North, Ola-Oluwa, Ayedire, Obokun, Oriade, Atakumosa-East, Atakumosa-West, Ifelodun and Ilesa West.
But the APC secured victory in Ife East, where the APC National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore voted, as well as Ife Central and Boripe local government of ex-governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
The APC candidate also won in Olorunda and Osogbo, the two local government areas within the Osogbo metropolis, where the Senate spokesperson, Ajibola Basiru voted.
Tinubu also won in Isokan, Irewole, Ayedaade, Ejigbo and Iwo local government areas.
Announcing the results, Ogunsola said Peter Obi of LP polled 23,283, while Kwankwaso of NNPP had 713 votes.
Atiku got 354, 366 and Tinubu polled 343, 945.
Giving a breakdown of the poll, Ogunsola said, “Total registered voters was 1,954,800, accredited voters, 759,362, valid votes,733, 203, invalid votes, 23,541 and total votes cast, 756,744.’’
Atiku is currently leading in the nine local government areas of Bauchi State so far announced.
The announcement of results was coordinated by the state Collation Officer, Prof. Abdulkarim Mohammed, the Vice Chancellor, of Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State.
The exercise began at the state INEC office at 4.30pm before Mohammed announced a break at 6.30pm and said it would resume at 8.00pm.
So far, results of Warji, Bogoro, Dass, Dambam, Jama’are, Giade and Darazo, Kirfi and Misau LGAs have been announced by the various Electoral Officers.
According to the results, Atiku got 100,304 votes, while Tinubu got 69,831 votes.
The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Musa Kwankwaso got 13,740 votes. The Labour Party Candidate, Peter Obi came fourth with 7,968 votes.
The PDP presidential candidate has also won 11 Gombe State local government areas whose results were announced at the state collation centre on Sunday.
Niger poll
In Niger State, however, the APC is leading in the results of four out of the six LGAS so far announced.
Tinubu defeated his opponents in four out of the six LGAs while Atiku was leading in two LGAs.
The collation officers for the six LGAs presented their results at the INEC office in Minna between 4pm and 5:55pm on Sunday.
At its Edo State office Benin, INEC said the LP standard bearer was declared the winner in eight of the nine LGs announced so far, while his APC counterpart won one council.
According to the commission, Obi won Ugueben, Esan Central, Esan North East, Esan South East, Esan West, Uhuwonde, Urhionwon and Egor local government areas, while Tinubu won in the Owan West LG.
In Lagos, Obi defeated Tinubu in his Ikeja LGA. The LP standard bearer polled 30,004 votes, beating Tinubu with 21,276 to the second place. PDP’s Atiku got only 2,280 in the LGA.
Obi is also comfortably leading in his state, Anambra and he also won in the Numan LG of Adamawa State.
The LP equally demonstrated its popularity in Enugu State as it was declared the winner in the nine local government areas so far announced.
They include Nkanu East, Enugu South, Aninri, Uzo-Uwani, Igbo-Etiti, Isi-Uzo, Oji-River, Enugu North and Nkanu West local government area.
According to the Collation Officer for Nkanu East Council, Mrs Scholastica Eze, the LP polled 11,746, APC 94 and PDP 1430.
For Enugu South Council, the Collation Officer, Mrs Patricia Agor reported that the party scored 38,511 votes against PDP’s 336; APGA 201 and APC 190.
In Aninri LGA, the Collation Officer, Dr Osita Ossia reported that the LP candidate had 11,339 votes to defeat his closest rival, Atiku, who polled 395 votes, while APC scored 64 votes.
The Nkanu West Collation Officer, Kalu Ruben declared that the LP scored 15023 votes, adding that the PDP obtained 550 votes and the APC, 343.
In Ogun State, Tinubu won in all the 20 local government areas of the state.
For instance, the APC candidate secured a commanding lead in Abeokuta North where he polled 20,094 to outrank Atiku who polled 5,057 and Obi, 4,092; Ijebu Ode where he had 16,072 while Atiku and Obi scored 4,057 and 3,162, respectively.
Buni’s LG
But the story was different in Yobe State where the PDP put up a valiant fight to defeat the APC in Gujba LGA, where the state governor, Mai MalaBuni hails from.
Announcing the result, the returning officer for the LGA, Dr Musa El-Zamani, said Atiku scored 8,204 against Tinubu’s 6,643 votes.
Obi and Kwankwaso secured 25 and 217 votes, respectively.
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There was a commotion on Sunday evening at the Multipurpose Hall 5 of the Kashim Ibrahim College of Education, Maiduguri, the venue of the Borno State Presidential collation exercise, as several election observers suggested the cancellation of the results from Gubio LGAs over numerical inconsistencies.
This was because the total valid votes and votes rejected did not tally with the total votes cast in the 15 wards of the local government.
The PUNCH reports that the inability of the Assistant Electoral Officer (Operations) of INEC in Borno State, Zahra Musa, to reconcile the numbers despite two attempts allowed by the Presidential Collation Officer, Prof. Jude Rabo fueled public suspicions.
Consequently, the observers argued that the results be cancelled while an individual insisted that Musa refers back to the forms received from each polling unit.
However, Robo and other members of the collation team did not act on the suggestion.
Rather, they adjourned the collation exercise to 10:00am Monday (today).
Speaking with our correspondent afterwards, Rabo said, “She (Zahra Musa) has not submitted any result yet. If we had accepted it, then the result is accepted.”
Despite the incident, the APC presidential candidate is leading in at least four LGAs announced by the returning officers in Gubio, Kaga, Magumeri and Mafa.
A similar trend was recorded in River State where the results so far collated indicated that the APC won in two of the three LGAs.
The party won in Tai and Opobo/Nkoro, while the LP was declared the winner in Ahoada West by the state collation officer, Prof Charles Adias.
Adias stepped down the results from Gokana and Abua/Odual over some discrepancies in figures and asked the electoral officers in charge of the councils to reconcile their figures and present the results later.
Also, Tinubu in 15 out of 16 local government areas declared in Ondo State on Sunday.
He won in Akoko North-East, Owo, Idanre, Akoko North-West, Ondo West, Irele, lle- Oluji/Oke-Igbo, Ose, Ondo East, Akoko South-West, Akoko South-East, Ifedoro, Akoko South-West, Akure South and Ilaje, while Atiku won in Ese Odo.
But the NNPP presidential candidate has continued to maintain his dominance of Kano politics as the results showed that he is leading in 16 of the 18 local government areas announced so far.
According to the results announced at the state collation centre, the APC candidate has won two LGAs.
Atiku is equally leading in Akwa Ibom State.
According to the results declared by the various collation officers in the respective local governments, the PDP candidate won in 10 out of 14 local government areas, whose results were declared on Sunday
The results also indicated that Tinubu won in three local governments while Obi clinched one local government area.
The LGAs won by Atiku Abubakar include Eastern Obolo, Onna LGA, Okobo, Itu, and Esit Eket. Others won by the party include Ibeno, Ibesikpo Asutan, Ikono, Eket, Obot Akara, Uruan, Ini, Nsit Antai and Oron local government
According to the results, Bola Tinubu of the APC won in Etim Ekpo, Uroe Effiong Oroko and Ika LGAs while Peter Obi won in Ibiono local government areas
Meanwhile, the collation of the results of the presidential election in Bayelsa State has been temporarily suspended.
The collation process will resume at 11pm tonight at the Professor Mahmood Yakubu Media Centre, the venue of the exercise at the Yenagoa INEC office along Swali Road.
The State Returning Officer and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Prof. Lilian Salami, announced the decision after conferring with the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Bayelsa State, Emmanuel Alex-Hart, and other security and INEC personnel overseeing the collation process.
The result for Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA was announced first by the Collation Officer, Prof. Francis Oluleye, followed by that of Nembe LGA as the results for the other six local governments were yet to arrive.
But after the result for Nembe LGA was announced by the Collation Officer for the area, Dr Comfort Mbachu, of the Federal University Otuoke, Salami observed some discrepancies in the summation of the figures.
She then advised Mbachu to go and ‘clean up’ and return to announce the corrected result.
While the wait for Mbachu lasted, some state party collation officers approached Salami and others to seek postponement of the process to tomorrow, Monday.
Salami, after consulting the state REC and other relevant officers, directed that the exercise be suspended till 11pm Sunday.
She said, “This collation (of presidential election results) is taking place simultaneously here and in Abuja. So I don’t think it will be fair (to stop abruptly); having discussed with members of this divide (high table) that we take a break and reconvene at 11 o’clock. Peradventure nothing happens, then we can choose to close and nobody will fault us.
“But if we do that just now it will appear as if we are not responsible and I don’t want to be part of that, and neither do you want to be part of that. So let us go and relax and once we come in, we will be as fast as possible.”
Tinubu won 31 out of 33 local governments announced so far in Oyo State, while the announcement of the results of the two remaining local governments will be announced today (Monday) by 8am.
The results were officially announced by the local government collation officers at the Independent National Electoral Commission’s office in Ibadan, the state capital.
It was announced under the supervision of acting Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Professor Babatunde Olusola, who is the state collation officer and the state Commissioner for Police, Adebowale Williams.
In another development, the APC presidential campaign council has cautioned the LP and PDP to avoid heating the polity with unflattering comments.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Chief Spokesman for APC PCC, Festus Keyamo.
Keyamo stated that the PCC has observed certain subtle threats of violence coming from the camps of the opposition parties as the results of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly poll trickled in.
The PCC warning is coming in the wake of reports that the elections were marred by violence in many parts of the country, a situation that also led to the loss of lives and disruption of the voting process.
Keyamo admonished the parties to conduct themselves with decorum instead of heating the polity.
The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to some incendiary comments by spokespersons of the opposition parties, notably the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party regarding the yet-to-be-announced results of the elections that were held yesterday.
‘’Some of them have threatened fire and brimstone if their versions of some concocted results are not announced in a bid to be the judge, jury and executioner in this election.’’
“On our part, we have decided to be calm to await the official announcement of the results and to pursue any grievance (if any) in a lawful manner. But we shall not sit back and allow such unguided comments to gain grounds to foist a particular narrative on our citizens and the international community. Recall that all parties signed the Peace Accord twice before the eyes of the world. Now is the time to abide by the terms of that accord and show love for the country over and above personal ambitions.’’
In the meantime, the PDP flag bearer, Atiku has asked INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, to ensure the immediate upload of election results.
Abubakar said in a statement by Paul Ibe, his media adviser, that all election results should be immediately uploaded from the polling units to ensure that people’s will was not subverted.
The former vice-president said the INEC chairman should “instruct collation officers for yesterday’s election to upload the results from the polling units to the INEC server immediately.”
Abubakar said this has become necessary to checkmate some governors who he said were trying to compromise the results at the local government collation level.
“It will be a disservice to Nigerians and a negation to democracy for anyone to subvert the will of the people as freely expressed in their votes of yesterday,” he said.
He asked Nigerians to be calm but vigilant to ensure that “anti-democratic elements who are masquerading as progressives do not steal their mandate”.
In a tragic development, one person was reportedly shot dead in Idanre , Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State on Sunday at the collation centre.
It was gathered that the deceased, Akinlabi Akinnaso, popularly known as Oluomo, was allegedly killed by the security agents guarding the electoral commission’s office
An eyewitness said the deceased, a businessman in Akure and PDP supporter in Idanre, was shot by the security agents during a scuffle on the premises of the INEC office.
According to him, the deceased had gone to the collation centre to inquire about the result of the House of Representatives election but was killed during a scuffle with a security officer.
The source said, “The deceased was not a political thug but he is a supporter of the PDP. He went to the collation centre when the officials of the INEC did not announce the results of the election in the local government on time on Sunday morning.
“When he got there he argued with the security men on duty at the centre. They asked him to leave the premises but he refused, so it was during the scuffle that one of the security men shot him in the stomach and he died.
It was gathered that his remains had been deposited at the mortuary of the Ondo State General Hospital, Idanre.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami said, “I heard about it but can’t confirm the incident for now but I will call the DPO of Idanre to confirm and get the details.”
The Director of the Enugu State Fire and Rescue Service, Chief Okwudili Ohaa, has said the swift mobilisation of emergency resources by Governor Peter Mbah led to the rescue of five occupants trapped in a collapsed building in Enugu metropolis.
The uncompleted four-storey building, located along Ogbaru Street, by Alvan Ikokwu Street, Independence Layout, Enugu, collapsed in the early hours of Sunday.
Ohaa told newsmen on Sunday that all five occupants of the building, as confirmed by the security guard on duty, were successfully rescued.
Ohaa
He said four of the occupants were rescued alive and conscious, although they sustained injuries, while the fifth person was rescued unconscious.
Ohaa commended Governor Mbah for his swift mobilisation of emergency response agencies, including the Red Cross, Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Enugu State Ambulance Services, the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Other agencies and organisations at the scene included the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Enugu Capital Territory Development Agency (ECTDA) and a Chinese construction company, which provided four heavy-duty cranes.
According to Ohaa, the governor alerted him about the incident early Sunday morning, prompting the immediate mobilisation of officers of the Enugu State Fire and Rescue Service to the scene with extrication equipment.
“His Excellency, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, must be commended for also mobilising adequate rescue equipment such as heavy-duty cranes, bulldozers and excavators, which ensured the rescue of the five persons,” he said.
Ohaa explained that rescue officers initially relied on information from the security guard to determine how many people were trapped in the building.
“As rescue officers, what we did was to ask the security man how many people were here. He said there were supposed to be six. One person had left before it happened.
“So, we were able at that initial time to rescue four persons. Out of the four, two sustained minor injuries and they were all rushed to a health facility for proper checks,” he said.
The Chief Fire and Rescue Officer said the fifth person was eventually recovered unconscious and taken to a health facility by the Enugu State Ambulance Services.
The NEMA Information Officer in Enugu, Mr Nnanyelugo Ezeani, also confirmed that five people were rescued.
He said the situation could have been worse because the state government had earlier sealed the construction site.
“One person among the six residing in the collapsed building was not on the site at the time of the incident, while five others were rescued and taken to the hospital,” Ezeani said.
Speaking on the incident, the Executive Chairman of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Agency (ECTDA), Mr Uche Anya, described the developer as one of those who failed to comply with building regulations.
Anya said the ECTDA had earlier taken regulatory action by sealing the site, which was originally approved in 2021.
“This property was approved in 2021 before the advent of this administration. But usually, we have a habit of stocktaking and checking on every construction at every stage.
“When I personally led the team that inspected here, we found out that there were serious integrity issues and non-compliance with their 2021 approval.
“I personally issued the first ‘stop-work order,’ which, due to the violation, resulted in our sealing the place over the last six months outrightly.
“So, I think within the last 30 to 40 days, the representative of the owner, whom they say lives abroad, has been interfacing with us to remedy the situation. This is the process that we are still trying to interface on, and it came down.”
Anya added that he had handed the owner’s representative over to the police to assist with the investigation.
“This is really a very unfortunate situation,” he said.
A four-storey building under construction in Enugu has collapsed, killing at least one person and trapping several construction workers beneath the rubble.
The incident occurred on Sunday morning at the uncompleted structure, reportedly being developed as a hotel, causing panic among residents and passersby.
According to authorities, six workers were believed to have been sleeping inside the building when it collapsed. Four workers have so far been rescued, while the body of one victim has been recovered.
Authorities said one of the six workers reportedly left the site shortly before the collapse, raising hopes that fewer people may be trapped beneath the debris than initially feared.
The rescued workers were taken to the Enugu State Teaching Hospital for treatment.
Emergency responders, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigerian Red Cross Society, Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Enugu State Capital Territory Development Authority and the police, are participating in the rescue operation.
The cause of the collapse has not yet been established, while rescue efforts continue at the scene.
The member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Chinedu Ogah, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies to investigate the financial activities and source of wealth of socialite and businessman, Paschal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest.
Ogah, who is Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, made the call on Thursday at a press conference in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
The lawmaker said the businessman’s financial dealings should be subjected to scrutiny regardless of his public profile.
“I am urging the EFCC to thoroughly investigate him, investigate his bank accounts, investigate all the things he does,” Ogah said.
He also accused Cubana Chief Priest of undermining President Bola Tinubu’s political fortunes in the South-East ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ogah questioned the socialite’s claim to political influence in Ebonyi State and challenged him to make his membership card of the All Progressives Congress (APC) public.
The lawmaker further criticised recent comments attributed to Cubana Chief Priest on social media in which he reportedly called for the resignation of Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru.
Ogah demanded that the comments be withdrawn and followed by an apology, warning that legal action could be taken if the businessman failed to comply.
“Who is Cubana Chief Priest? What is his address that gives him the impetus to speak against our governor, the most performing governor in Nigeria?” he asked.
According to Ogah, Cubana Chief Priest had no electoral mandate to speak on behalf of Ebonyi State or demand the resignation of its elected governor.
He also questioned the businessman’s political influence, noting that he had previously contested an election in Imo State but failed to secure the party’s primary ticket.
Ogah alleges plot against Nwifuru
The lawmaker further alleged that unnamed political actors were sponsoring campaigns aimed at discrediting the Nwifuru administration and weakening the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
He defended the state’s security architecture, particularly the Commissioner of Police, Hope Okafor, against what he described as an orchestrated campaign for her removal.
Ogah urged the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant agencies to investigate those behind the alleged campaign and determine whether any law had been breached.
“All of us can attest to the peace and security we enjoy in Ebonyi State. The Army, the police, the Civil Defence and the DSS are doing marvellously well in Ebonyi State,” he said.
Lawmaker accuses Otu of mobilising protesters
Ogah also accused another critic of the state government, Charles Otu, of allegedly mobilising people from outside Ebonyi State to participate in a protest against the government in Abuja.
He claimed that some of those involved were presented as Ebonyians despite allegedly coming from other states.
Ogah said his lawyers had previously petitioned the DSS over allegations involving Otu and urged the agency to investigate the matter.
He also challenged Otu to substantiate allegations he allegedly made against him during an appearance on Arise Television.
“My own is that whosoever defaults the law, we take it legally. I cannot mention who I have not known. But when we get there, it is for the security agencies to investigate,” Ogah said.
Ogah lists Nwifuru’s achievements
Defending the Nwifuru administration, Ogah cited the state government’s scholarship programmes, school construction, road projects and other development initiatives as evidence of the governor’s performance.
He said hundreds of Ebonyi indigenes had benefited from postgraduate scholarships in Nigeria and abroad, while roads and schools were being constructed across the state’s 13 local government areas.
Ogah also praised Nwifuru for what he described as political tolerance, saying opposition parties had been allowed to operate freely in the state.
He argued that the people of Ebonyi should determine their political leadership through the ballot rather than through media campaigns and protests.
“Ebonyi people will choose who is their leader. They should stop using the media to castigate the governor,” he said.
Questions Nwifuru’s omission from Tinubu campaign council
The lawmaker also questioned the reported omission of Governor Nwifuru from President Tinubu’s campaign council, describing it as an error that should be corrected.
“How can a governor that has done much in APC not be included in the campaign council? How can a governor that is elected under the APC not be included?” Ogah queried.
He maintained that Nwifuru’s political influence and the APC’s electoral performance in Ebonyi made him an important stakeholder in Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.
Ogah warned political actors against using the media to destabilise the state and urged all parties to pursue their grievances through legal and democratic channels.
The lawmaker, who is also the Ebonyi State Coordinator of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG), was accompanied by other members of the group at the press conference.
He reiterated his call for security agencies to investigate the various allegations raised and take appropriate action against anyone found to have violated the law.
The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has urged youths in Enugu State to disregard the belief that federal government jobs and other opportunities are already allocated before they are advertised.
FCC Executive Chairman, Hulayât Motunrayo Omidiran, gave the charge on Thursday at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, during the Peter Eze Enugu Youth Connect 2026.
Omidiran urged the youths to acquire relevant skills, embrace technology and actively pursue legitimate opportunities, stressing that federal character should promote both equity and merit.
She also warned against fraudulent recruitment schemes and advised applicants to authenticate employment opportunities before applying.
The Enugu State Deputy Governor, Ifeanyi Ossai, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, challenged young people to prepare themselves for available opportunities.
Onyia said government could create opportunities, but individuals must develop the capacity to take advantage of them.
The FCC Commissioner representing Enugu State, Peter Ogbonna Eze, said the programme was designed to bridge the information gap preventing young people from accessing federal employment, scholarships, grants, fellowships and training opportunities.
Eze said many youths were discouraged from applying for federal jobs because of the misconception that such positions had already been shared among influential individuals.
He urged them to apply whenever legitimate opportunities were advertised, warning that nobody should pay money to secure a federal government job.
He also disclosed that five participants in the programme would be selected for a full scholarship opportunity.
Eze said the initiative would continue as a platform for connecting Enugu youths with credible opportunities and urged participants to become “ambassadors of opportunity” by sharing useful information with others.
The event brought together youths and stakeholders from across Enugu State to discuss federal representation, employment, education, skills development and other opportunities.
By Chinedu Sabastine
ENUGU — Umuchigbo Iji Nike Autonomous Community in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State has fixed Sunday, September 13, 2026, for its annual New Yam Festival.
The cultural celebration, which is scheduled to commence at 3 p.m., is being organised under the leadership of the Executive Chairman of Umuchigbo, Hon. Chief Afam Joseph Ogbene, popularly known as Akirika Chioku 1, Na Nike Kingdom.
The festival is expected to showcase the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the people of Umuchigbo and Umuenwene in Iji Nike Autonomous Community, while promoting unity and communal bonding.
Ogbene, in an invitation to the festival, described the celebration as an opportunity for the people to preserve their cultural heritage, strengthen community ties and give thanks for the year’s harvest.
He said, “Our New Yam Festival is more than a cultural celebration. It is a time for us to come together as one people, appreciate our heritage and give thanks for the blessings of the year.”
According to him, the event will also provide an opportunity for sons and daughters of the community, as well as friends and well-wishers, to reconnect and celebrate together.
“We are inviting everyone to come and celebrate with us. It is a celebration of our culture, our community and thanksgiving for the new yam season,” he added.
According to the invitation, activities will commence at Ogbene’s residence on Akirika Chioku Avenue, Nome Ogba Aniji Road, Umuchigbo, before proceeding to Obodoeze Iji Village Square, Odangene, for the New Yam rites and masquerade display.
The event will also feature traditional cuisine, music and other forms of cultural entertainment.
The organisers urged sons and daughters of Umuchigbo, friends, well-wishers and members of the public to join the community in celebrating the festival.
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